The unseasonal rain that brought a lot of relief to the residents here from sweltering heat has badly affected the salt production in the district.
After lashing the district in the early hours of Tuesday and on Wednesday night, the hour-long showers in the small hours of Thursday, has badly affected salt production in over 20,000 acres in the district.
“Since the district experienced reasonably good rains during the northeast monsoon, the saltpans suffered extensive damage and we restored it with heavy expenditure. And, we resumed salt production only by January-end this year. However, the unseasonal and unexpected rain has pulled the brakes on production once again by damaging the saltpans. If rain stops completely, it will take another 15 days to resume production. Otherwise, we’ll be able to start production only in April-end or first week of May,” said A. Antony Dhanaraj, a small salt manufacturer having his saltpan near Tharuvaikulam.
Besides losing their production, the salt producers now have to spend Rs. 25,000 per acre for carrying out repair work on the damaged saltpans.
“This unexpected rain will affect salt production up to 15 per cent. The loss can be compensated only if the climatic conditions are conducive for salt production in the days to come,” said secretary of Small Salt Manufacturers’ Association AR.A.S. Dhanapalan, having salt pans at Ayyanarpuram on the Tuticorin – Rameshwaram Highway.
