Bharat Salt likely to miss turnover target

Company likely to achieve only around 70,000 tn as against the target of 1 lakh tn

Bharat Salt Refineries Ltd, which has set up the biggest sodium chloride (salt) unit in Andhra Pradesh at a cost of Rs 11 crore, is likely to record a turnover of only around 70,000 tonne, as against the target of 1 lakh tonne set for 2006 (Jan-Dec), according to Prasad Rao Koneru, company's vice-president.

Koneru told Business Standard that due to unfavourable weather the company till now could make only 25,000 tonne of pure sodium chloride, a raw material for soda ash and caustic soda.

"The firm is an Archean Group company and its production is supplied to Andhra Sugars, Kovur, and Rayalaseeema Alkalines, Kurnool, and Spic and TN Petro Chemicals, Chennai," he added.

Located in 6,500 acres at Pallethummalapalem, 2 km off sea coast near this district headquarters town, the company in 2005 (maiden year) produced 55,000 tonne of 98 per cent pure salt worth Rs 4.12 crore.

"We started salt scrapping on December 10 itself in 2004. This year, weather sans heat forced us to wait till February 3 to begin our production. Last year, cyclone prone Masula coast received heavy rains towards the end of year, limiting this year's salt scrapping season to April-June. Even now there is no real heat in day temperatures, hence the slow progress in our operations."

The company intends to reach 2,00,000 tonne salt production in two years. The unit has completed its first phase of development during which two crystalliser tanks (pans) were constructed in 400 acres. Construction of another two crystalliser tanks was nearing completion. However, the firm required 2,000 acres more for its full-fledged development and for achieving the 2,00,000 tonne production as per schedule, he added.

Koneru said, "We obtain pure salt between 25-28 degrees. Sea water, drawn into big reservoirs (salt pans) in 6,000 acres, and pumped from one to another with increase in temperature from 18 degree C to 20 degrees C, would form into salt in crystalliser pans. The salt is scrapped and gathered at ideal 27-28 degrees C when main impurities CaSO4 and MgSO4 will be almost eliminated. The salt is then sent to a washing unit, which purifies 500 tonne per day. Harvesting is carried out every 10-15 days."

"While traditional methods produce 3 gm of impure sodium chloride per litre, our unit obtains 25 gm of 98 per cent pure NaCl per litre," he said.