Nagapattinam: Salt manufacturers in Tamil Nadu’s Vedaranyam are confident of achieving this year’s production target of 1.75 lakh tonnes after completing nearly 85 per cent of the estimated output. The prolonged spell of intense summer heat has helped accelerate production following disruptions caused by unseasonal rain earlier in the season.
Salt is manufactured across nearly 3,000 acres in Agasthiyampalli, Kodiyakkadu and Kadinalvayal, the principal production centres in the Vedaranyam region of Nagapattinam district.
About 800 small-scale manufacturers are involved in the industry, which provides seasonal employment to a large number of workers. Production generally begins in February and continues until the arrival of the northeast monsoon in October.
With more than a month of the season remaining and the monsoon expected only around October, producers believe the remaining target can be comfortably achieved if dry weather continues.
The Vedaranyam small-scale salt industry normally produces between 1.7 lakh and two lakh tonnes annually. However, heavy rainfall severely affected operations last year, limiting production to only about 40 per cent of the normal target.
Intermittent showers during the opening months of the current season also repeatedly disrupted work in the salt pans. Production recovered strongly after persistent hot weather began in May.
The continuing heat has increased evaporation and enabled salt crystals to form more quickly.
Manufacturers said salt pans require at least a week of uninterrupted sunshine after rainfall before proper crystallisation can resume. Further rain during the remaining weeks could delay production, but prevailing weather conditions have raised hopes of completing the target before the season closes.
Workers have adjusted their schedules to escape the severe daytime heat. They begin work as early as 3 a.m. and complete harvesting, collection and heaping of salt during the relatively cooler morning hours.
Vedaranyam produces both edible and industrial salt. Edible salt accounts for around 60 per cent of the total output, while industrial salt constitutes the remaining 40 per cent.
The produce is supplied to markets across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. Prices vary daily according to demand and overall availability.
On average, salt produced in Vedaranyam sells for around Rs 1,000 per tonne. Manufacturers estimate that each acre yields approximately 150 tonnes of salt annually under favourable weather conditions.
(IANS)
