The Kerala State Match Splinters and Veneer Manufacturers’ Association has threatened to close down operations, which employs about one lakh people directly and indirectly, if the government did not step in to prevent the “siphoning away” of softwood tree “pongalyam” (matti) from Kerala to neighbouring States.
K. M. A. Latheef, treasurer of the association, said on Wednesday that the softwood tree was available across the State. The price of the tree had gone up recently because of high demand and its suitability for the match splinter making. However, the trees were being cut and “smuggled” to neighbouring States as firewood.
This had resulted in the manufacturers in Kerala shutting down operations as a sign of protest against the government inaction.
There used to be about 1,000 match splinter making units in the State in the past. The numbers had come down to about 400 because of the lack of availability of raw materials. The industry was providing jobs to about one lakh people directly and indirectly. However, the government was not stepping in to help the industry, he alleged.
The industry leaders feel that new plantations of the softwood tree could be taken up as the price of the material has gone up. The price of a matti tree had gone up as high as about ₹500 and this had encouraged some to take up planting.
Mr. Latheef said that there used to be matti plantations in the past but no one was venturing into the field now. The smuggling of the matti tree out of Kerala also resulted in the State government losing substantial revenue because most of the wood was being represented as firewood while being transported to other States.
