ONGOLE: Salt farmers and salt industry workers from Prakasam district are happy over the hike in market price of salt. As many as 7,000 sea salt producers and 10,000 salt manufacturers including their family members are expressing immense happiness over all-time increase in price.
As we all know that Prakasam district is one of the prominent sea salt producers of the State with salt production extended to around 10,000 acres. Nearly 7,000 tenant salt farmers and 10,000 workers are getting income through the salt production.
Salt manufacturing has been continued in Kothapatnam, Naguluppalapadu, Chinna Ganjam, and Singarayakonda etc coastal mandal limits from many years. It has a high demand where wholesale traders from neighbouring states are coming here to purchase.
More salt production can be seen in Singarayakonda mandal, Peddapalli Palem, Pakala villages and other coastal areas like Kanaparthi, Uppugundur, ChinnaGanjam, Isukapalle, Devarampadu, and Vetapalem etc. As there is no sufficient stocks in the other areas, the big merchants belongs to Rajamahendravaram, Vijayawada and other distant places of the state are also purchasing our produce, said sea salt producer P Srinivasa Reddy from Woollapalem village.
“Earlier we only got Rs 240 to Rs 250 per 76 kg salt bag, but this time the price is hiked to Rs 330 to Rs 3Rs 50 for our sea salt production in our village.” he said.
Salt manufactures witnessed loss in the last two years due to Corona-19 pandemic, cyclones, incessant rains and sudden inundations of salt crop fields. But now they are witnessing profitable prices for their products in the market.
“Though the traders were offering the best prices for this season yield, the increased labour expenditure did not allowed to earn more profits. However all the salt producers are cheerful with the present price,” he added.
He explained that the average salt crop yield per acre decreased to 700 from 800 bags from the previous 1,000 to 1,100 bags per season due to rains. But the quality of the produce increased and in that way it is compensating the producers.