THOOTHUKUDI: Traders in Thoothukudi, which is Tamil Nadu’s crown jewel in the salt industry with an average yearly production of 25 lakh tonnes, have sourced 40,000 tonnes of edible salt from Gujarat for the first time in the industry’s history due to significant drop in production this year.
Since there is a 60% fall in production, the quantum of salt brought from Gujarat may go up further.
According to sources, salt production has dipped due to unseasonal rains and multiple weather systems off Thoothukudi coast which led to a drop in adequate sunny days.
The consignments from Gujarat have reached VO Chidambaranar Port last week, traders said. Thoothukudi has traditionally been a major supplier of the condiment to other parts of Tamil Nadu and southern states like Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
A salt manufacturer said that intermittent rains between February and June in 2024 have hit production. “If there is rainfall after the brine is left to evaporate in saltpans, rainwater will dilute the brine and salt yield will fall,” he said.
‘Only 40 per cent of production was achieved last year’
The impact of the December 2023 flood, and unusually heavy rain in 2024 had also damaged saltpans, contributing to the production drop, sources said.
“Only 40% of the average production was achieved in 2024 due to the above reasons, and most of the stock has been used up,” a trader said. Though collection of salt from the pans normally begins by February, producers said that they could not collect salt till April this year due to continuous showers.
“The fall in production has led to a steep rise in price. Though a few producers still have stock, a tonne costs Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000, which is too high,” John Prabahar, a salt exporter, said. Salt from Gujarat can be sourced for Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,500 per tonne, he said.
Prabakar said rain pattern has changed in Thoothukudi due to climate change and the prime salt production season is now in disarray. Export of salt to other countries from Thoothukudi, too, has been hit as the price is extremely high and uncompetitive, he said.
Thoothukudi Thanpadu salt manufacturers association secretary Thenraj said that the salt from Gujarat costs only Rs 4,000 per tonne including transport cost from Kandla port. “Refined free-flow salt and crystal salt for domestic and industrial use are being supplied from Gujarat.
The price is also viable for traders to repack and sell them to other areas,” he said. Salt in bulk quantities and in 25 kg and 50 kg bags are being unloaded at the VOC port, he added. Previously, various types of industrial salts were sourced from Gujarat, but this is the first time, edible salt is being brought in, Thenraj pointed out.
The district’s salt industry could be revived only if the production cost is between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,500 per tonne, and this is now in the hands of climatic factors, another exporter said.