KARIMNAGAR: THE coronavirus outbreak has taken a toll on the granite industry in the State. The Chinese, who constitute a majority of the State’s granite buyers, had left for their country for New Year’s. Owing to the spreading of the virus and the subsequent shutdown of flights, they are unable to return to Telangana’s granite hub, Karimnagar.
The buyers were supposed to return to the State on February 1, but their visit is likely to be delayed, said Karimnagar Granite Quarry Industry Association president P Sridhar. As a result, the granite exports have come to a standstill, he added. The Chinese make up for a significant part of granite buyers, as far as the Karimnagar granite industry is concerned. They stay in Karimnagar, purchase the blocks and transport them to their country at regular intervals. In fact, in 2008, granite was exported to China from Karimnagar for the Beijing Olympics. The major customers at the city’s granite block polishing units are also Chinese. Speaking about the crisis, Sridhar said, “The buyers had booked flights for their return journey to the State. But now that the Chinese airports have been shutdown, their visit may be delayed by a week or two. Incidentally, this is not the production season. The buyers had gone to their country, as a result. But the delay in their return journey will affect production.”
Reportedly, about 50,000 cubic metres of granite is excavated every month on an average. This will substantially decrease this month owing to lack of buyers. The industry hitting a roadblock is also affecting allied business and workers.