Salt farmers are in jitters as unseasonal overnight rain has hit salt extraction by a week or so in Prakasam district, which is endowed with a vast coastline.
“It’s during May that the salt production reaches its peak. The rain has come at a most inopportune time,” laments Komatla Nancharlu Reddy, president of the Kothapatnam Salt Manufacturers’ Cooperative Society, while talking to The Hindu .
“The salt content in the salt pans have got diluted following the rain. If there is further rain, we will be in for a big trouble,” says another fear-struck salt producer T. Srinivasulu, while taking stock of the situation.
With the devastating Laila cyclonic storm that hit the Prakasam coast in May 2010 fresh in his mind, another salt producer P. Prakasam shuddered before saying “we have to cope with the ever-increasing cost of production, besides natural calamities”.
“The mercury should go up to 45 degree Celsius during the rest of the month for us to make both ends meet,” says yet another salt producer A. Subba Reddy.
“Salt production is marked by fluctuating fortunes and if everything goes well, we will be able to make about Rs. 25,000 after paying interest on loans secured from private moneylenders,” they add.
Putting the cost of production at Rs. 45,000 per acre, Mr. Nancharlu Reddy says: “Though we have been running from pillar to post, banks are not providing full scale finance. We will be happy if we are provided with a loan of Rs. 45,000 each by banks to save on interest.”
“Now, we get Rs. 100 per quintal. If we can hold salt and sell during the rainy season, we can get a better price for our produce,” adds another salt producer B. Venkateswarulu, who does not have salt holding capacity.
Salt production involves preparation of the salt pan by pumping out stagnating rainwater, formation of field channels, overhauling of electric motor, strengthening of bunds, stamping of land in the salt pan for several hours with barefoot after putting fresh sand and save the produce from unseasonal rains.
