COIMBATORE: Raw material shortage has hit the wet grinder manufacturing units hard. Manufacturers said the price of stone, sourced from Uthukuli in Tiruppur, doubled as the Madras High Court ordered closure of quarries that violated rules.
N Yoganathan, in-charge of a wet grinder unit in Coimbatore, said, “With many quarries closed, the price of stone used in a 2-litre grinder has increased to Rs 1500 from Rs 700 a piece in 2020. We are also buying used-stone (from second hand grinders) from vendors for Rs 800 per piece for two-litre capacity. Last year, during this time, it was Rs 100. The supply crunch has affected our deliver schedules.” He said the cost of grinders went from Rs 3000 in 2020 to Rs 5000 for two-litre, Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 for three-litre and Rs 10,000 to Rs 14,000 for 5-litre.
R Soundarakumar, president of Coimbatore Wet Grinder and Accessories Manufacturers Association, said, “In June 2021, Madras High Court ordered a ban for mining stone from granite quarries based on a petition. Following that, the price for stones escalated.”
“GST is another blow on the industry. Thankfully, the rate has come down from 28 per cent to 5 per cent. Cost of mild steel has gone up to Rs 80 from Rs 58 per kg, stainless steel to Rs 210 from Rs 130, copper wire to Rs 940 from Rs 910 and plywood Rs 130 from Rs 90 per sheet,” he added.
Around 400 of the 700 units operating in the district shut down due to the lack of stones and raw material costs sky-rocketing. Lockdown further collapsed the industry as both production and sales dropped drastically, he said. Stating that production has dropped below 80,000 from 1.75 lakh per month in 2020, he appealed to the State to amend the Mines and Minerals Act to restore normalcy in the industry.
B Karthigaivasan, General Manager of District Industries Center, said, “Representatives of wet grinder manufacturers have discussed this with Minister V Senthil Balaji. Also, the Tiruppur district administration is taking steps to challenge the High Court order.”