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Puttalam salt producers lament low prices due to imported Gujarati variety
View(s):Puttalam salt producers are concerned over a drop in local salt prices despite a good harvest following favourable weather conditions.
They pointed out that though they have produced a good harvest the price of a 50kg bag of salt has dropped to Rs 2000, while the same amount of imported Indian salt is sold for Rs 4000.
Puttalam provides nearly 55 to 50 percent of the salt requirement of the country and has restarted operations after the drop of production during previous months due to rainy conditions.
Areas such as Puttalam, Mundalam, Mangala Eliya, Palvi, Dalawa, Kalpitiya and Wanathawilluwa in the Puttalam District contribute to salt production and currently 1000 producers work in about 10000 acres of land.
Salt producers in the area have started to utilise tanks which were earlier used to cultivate prawns. According to salt cultivators, salt production is less expensive than cultivating prawns.
As the rainy conditions which prevailed earlier had created a drop in local salt production in Puttalam and other areas, the government had to import salt from Gujarat, India. Even though initially 12000 Mt was brought it was not properly managed, therefore, they were forced to import salt via Lanka Salt Limited.
Later salt workshop owners and large-scale businessmen too had imported 115,000 metric tons. However, 20000 Mt out of the full amount imported is still being cleared from ports.
The President of the Puttalam Salt Producers’ Association, Rameez Badurdeen, said that though they have started to garner a good harvest this year due to sunny weather and the salt producers are working hard, due to the imported variety prices of our salt remain low.
He called the government to intervene and provide a good price for salt and help to increase salt production in Puttalam.
Pic and text by
Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe
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