Saltpans in the Vedaranyam area here have resumed production after about six months, as the procurement prices have gone up now considerably.
They had shut down operations in July last year due to a steep fall in procurement prices.
Usually,saltproductionin the region goes on for nine months a year -- January to September.
The saltproductionis suspended during the monsoon (October to December) in the state aspans mostly remain inundated.
"Last year, production progressed at a slow pace and came to a halt in July as the procurement price fell to about Rs 450 to Rs 600 per tonne, which was just half of the usual rate. As salt pan owners started witnessing huge losses, production came to a halt," Secretary of the Vedaranyam Small Scale Salt Producers' Federation V Senthil said.
Due to this salt was being brought from Gujarat to Tamil Nadu, he added.
"This year, salt procurement price rose to about Rs 950 to Rs 1,200 per tonne and works have commenced in all pans now," he informed.
Saltis beingproducedhere on a large scale both for household consumption and commercial use. Theproduceis sent to the market by trucks, Senthil said.
Market conditions and salt production scenario in Gujarat, the largest producer of salt in the country, determine demand and procurement price across all salt production centres in the country, including Vedaranyam belt.
Saltisproducedon about 10,000 acres along Vedaranyam coast in various villages including Agasthyampalli, Kodiakadu, Kadnelvayal and Vedaranyam.
With the productionof over 4.5 lakh tonnes ofsalta year, Vedaranyam occupies the second position in Tami Nadu insaltproduction, he said.
Over 25,000 workers are engaged in salt production activities in this area. However, during 2015, the production fell to 3.5 lakh tonnes, Senthil added.
