Rajahmundry crucibles industry in dire straits

The more than eight-decade-old crucibles making industry, which has its roots in Rajahmundry in East Godavari district, is in dire straits. The industry is likely to die with the first generation of crucibles artisans, mainly due to the lackadaisical attitude of the government, according to industry sources.

If the industry downs its shutters in Andhra Pradesh for whatever reason, there would be a crisis in all the related industries that have something to do with the melting of metals including the iron and steel industries. On the other hand, the crucibles industry in Gujarat is doing well.

"The Gujaratis picked up the art from Andhra Pradesh and mastered it, overtaking the Rajahmundry artisans in the upgradation of technology, marketing strategies because of the Gujarat government's 100 per cent patronage," E Satyananda Murthy, secretary, All India Graphite Crucibles Manufacturing Association, told Business Standard.

"Over the years, the number of small-scale crucibles industries dwindled from 120 to nearly 50 in Rajahmundry. The reasons for the decline include lack of government support, use of outdated technology in crucibles making, the domination of Gujarat in the industry, and due to the dwindling numbers of old time artisans on account of their death," he said.

The raw materials used for making the crucibles include graphite, silicon carbide and corax. The industry centred on Rajahmundry because of the availability of clay and the Godavari water that is suitable for making the crucibles.

"Silicon, which is one of the raw material used in the trade, is imported from abroad and the artisans had to shell out large sums of money on import duties. Besides, the quality of graphite flaxes supplied from Sambalpur in Orissa is of poor quality. Our counterparts in Gujarat, who learnt the trade from us, were able to cater to the needs of industries better, " observed G Hanumantha Rao, vice-president of the association.

At present, the industry is exporting Rs 10 crore worth of crucibles to the Saarc countries including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

According to B Veerabhadrarao, treasurer of the association, while the government has given permission only to make 200-kg capacity crucibles, their counterparts in Gujarat are supplying 500-kg capacity crucibles for the same price, which the local industry users are finding it more beneficial.

"All these factors are going against our development. The children of the first generation artisans are refusing to take over the trade from their fathers. Unless the government takes war-footing measures to impart training to the present generation, the trade will vanish from Rajahmundry," he said.

On the other hand, the industry in Gujarat has grown in leaps and bounds due to the upgradation of its technology from graphite crucibles to silicon crucibles, which are far more superior to the ones made here with inferior quality raw materials. Whereas the local technology adopted for crucibles making is nothing more than the traditional pot-making technology.

Meanwhile, the association office-bearers had met the district collector and submitted a memorandum seeking the government's intervention to save the eight-decade-old trade from dying.