NAGAPATTINAM: After losing over a month of productivity due to unseasonal rain, salt producers in Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district finally started salt production in full flow. "The salterns flooded with rains took several days to recover. We also had to carry out preliminary works to set up the salt pans again. Threats of more rains delayed the production. After the weather started turning sunny, we began the production," said NVK Raju, who produces salt from about 50 acres.
Salt production takes place in Vedaranyam on about 6,000 acres. Small-scale production takes place in villages such as Agasthiyampalli, Kodiyakadu, Kailavanampettai, Kadinalvayal and Kodiyakarai in Vedaranyam block on 3,000 acres. There are two corporate companies, GHCL and Chemplast Sanmar, who produce salt on about 6,000 acres.
Preliminary works to set up salt pans usually begin in the third week of January. The daily production usually begins in the first two weeks of February. Salt production season lasts till the start of October, when monsoon arrives.
"Loss of productivity for a month might affect procurement price. This would also mean losing out on clients who would have started buying from other States like Gujarat," said A Vedarathinam, another salt producer and representative of Vedaranyam Small-Scale Salt Manufacturers Federation.
Small-scale producers have been demanding automatic renewal of lease period of their salterns. The 20-year lease period expired in 2021 and salt producers petitioned the Madras High Court, seeking renewal. However, the court dismissed a batch of petitions on December 22, 2021.
Around 800 small-scale salt producers are facing ouster from the salterns, where they were producing for years. "We are still pleading with the government not to oust us. Our appeal against the earlier order in Madras High Court is yet to be heard," Vedarathinam added.
The resumption of salt production has provided jobs to around 10,000 daily wage labourers.
Men earn around Rs 600 to Rs 650 and women earn around Rs 300 to Rs 350. K Soundar, a salt worker from Kodiyakarai, said, "We are receiving more calls from places to work in the pans. We are starting to receive income every day."