The suffering in the salt pot

Chef Koushik S. said that when cooking, salt should be sprinkled from height to ensure that the salt is evenly spread on the plate. “That way, you will only use as much as you need. It can even make the candy taste better. It exudes a chocolatey flavor in the cake. It is a condiment that brings flavor and shiny condiments to our food.” He said his arms are fixed on the stove high on the stove, ready to sprinkle salt.

The good “harvest” of this taste enhancer brings joy to producers and salt pond workers, who, as of 2021-22, produced 2.393 million tons on land belonging to central and state governments as well as private owners. Tamil Nadu has nine coastal areas producing sea salt, and over the years, the state has won the country's top three salt producers.

The right combination brings the best

Cooking salt accounts for about 25% of salt produced in India. The right combination of sunshine and sea water brings out the best quality sea or crystal salt (unlike rock salt). Long-term salt maker Aras Dhanapalan explained that earlier, seawater with a salt content of 3 degrees used to be stored in small pots because it was dry in the glaring sun and produced salt within 20 or 25 days. “Now, producers sink to 120 feet well organized, attracting groundwater with a salt content of 6 to 8 degrees. In some places, salt content even reaches 9 or 10 degrees, and these lucky owners can get salt from the pot in 15 days.”

But in the past few years, rainfall and heavy rain during the monsoon have wreaked havoc on the salt industry. Salt manufacturers should transfer production to top equipment in April, but have not yet harvested the first quality salt of the year. “The Thoothukudi district, which typically produces more than 2.5 million tons per year, has been hit hard by the forces of nature. Manufacturers that have agreed to supply salt to various industries are buying salt from Gujarat to fulfill their commitments,” said small salt manufacturer M. Sathish Chandran.

The region is the largest salt producer in Tamil Nadu and has been buying salt for at least three years. Salt from the state has been provided to the chemical industry; lubricant manufacturers; the food industry produces ice cream and snacks; units that make salt-resistant industrial coatings; preservation industries; cadaver studies; and dyeing units and tannery in various states including Odhisha, Bihar and West Bengal. However, due to the cut-in competition by Gujarat's salt manufacturers, Tamil Nadu's salt manufacturers have restricted their arrival at Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

M. Krishnamoorthy, president of the Tamil Nadu Manual Workers Association, said the non-seasonal rainfall has also severely affected the livelihoods of salt pond workers. “They have no other jobs because the pot that has been working in the sun for many years in the sun, carrying heavy loads, they are not suitable for any other jobs during the monsoon. The government has provided Rs 5,000 to registered members of the family during the monsoon. This should be extended to all those working on the pan.”

D. Amutha, associate professor of economics at St. Mary's College of Thoothukudi, has conducted research on salt production. She said the region was severely affected and even exports were falling. “Like agriculture, this condiment makes our food very salty, depending on changes in nature. We should understand that the whole country cannot rely solely on Gujarat, as a natural disaster in the state will cause us to import salt from other countries. The government should take the salt out of the industrial sector and take it out of the agricultural sector.”

The long-term demand for manufacturers is that farming is considered an agricultural practice. Most manufacturers work in small pots, called Thann Paadu. “The government may be like Gujarat, which is the case with subsidized salt production rents to lease its unused land. The Tamil Nadu government provides free farming for agriculture and if we want us to compete with Gujarat, the country’s largest producer, it has begun to enter the Indian Indian market, another small manufacturer of A. dhananaraara. In many areas of the region, salt production has not even begun. He added: “By May, half of the annual production is usually completed.” However, this year's rainfall has gone away for weeks of preparation, forming the waist and pressing the clay to form the foundation of the pot – a huge loss to workers and manufacturers.

ESI Hospital Request

Representatives of the union urged to open staff state insurance hospitals in areas where salt pots operate. They also seek to increase workers’ compensation. It is estimated that more than 300,000 workers in the state work in salt pots.

The salt pond worker Lingammal of Thoothukudi starts working from dawn in the season. She said she earned about Rs 600 a day but could only go to work once a week, which was not enough to run her own family. “The work days have dropped dramatically over the past two years. Many people have borrowed money from self-help groups and donors at high interest rates,” she said, adding that she worked for about 20 days from January to April and was barely able to survive.

The combination of multiple factors has led to a decrease in salt production in the state. The central government's decision not to renew the lease is the main one. At that time, it was also decided to dissolve the Union salt department and place the central government land for other purposes. According to the reply of the Deputy Commissioner of Salt, Shastri Bhavan, Chennai, to a question raised under the Right to Information Act, such as on 23 January 2025, a total of 10 proposals were received, transferring the salt land from the Ministry of Trade Unions and departments. These include 372.60 acres of land in Nagapattinam, Kayalpattinam, Arumuganeri, Kulasekarapattinam, Neidavasal and Tharangambadi for ports, transport and waterways. In the Tiruvallu area, Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) applied for 1,718 acres of land in Voyalur, Kattupalli, Kalanji and Puzhudhivakkam. Orders have been issued to transfer land in Sivandakulam, Thoothukudi district to the Coast Guard; to the state highway department paves two bypasses in the Pathu district; and at the same time at the Islamic International Aquaculture Institute in Patthu.

Small manufacturers leave business

Ramesh Kandaswamy of the Koviron Salt Manufacturers Association said that about 15 years ago, there were 65 manufacturers in the region. But now there are only four left. Many small manufacturers left the business. The same is true elsewhere. According to the Ministry of Salt’s annual report from the Ministry of Salt from 2013-14 to 2021-22, the total output of land owned by the central government nationwide fell from 7% to 4.95%. In Tamil Nadu, it fell from 38.27% to 32.68%. The central government area under salt production in the state dropped from 16,688 acres to 14,017 acres, and output dropped from 9.9 million tonnes to 7.82 billion tonnes. The reason why the latest data is not available is that the department website has no annual report after 2021-22.

An industry expert said about 40% of the salt produced in the state comes from central government land. The Manu Bhai Shah Commission in 1958 was established to analyze the challenges faced by independent post-salt manufacturers, suggesting uniform lease rentals and longer lease periods to promote long-term investment and increase production. In 1969, a resolution was adopted to limit the lease term to 20 years for administrative purposes and to introduce lease renewal based on merit. The 1969 resolution was followed by the Indian government until 2013 when the Shubra Singh committee was established to review the mandate fees and ground rents for the Salt Ministry land.

A resolution adopted in 2013 marked a policy shift, with the government deciding to renew the lease for current tenants. In addition, the task fee increased from Rs 10 per ton/acre/year to Rs 100 per ton, with a minimum yield per acre, an increase of 10 per cent every three years, while the states charge very nominal interest rates for their salt land. “This puts a huge financial burden on the lessee and has resulted in a decrease in the output of salt land owned by the court lawsuit and the central government. In Tamil Nadu, the fixed rent of the government to collect salt from its land was Rs 135 per acre, witnessing an almost stable output,” the expert explained.

Economist Venkatesh Athreya believes that since salt is an essential commodity, measures should be taken to determine the reduction in production. The theme of salt is on the central list, because only a few states produce it. It should be moved to the concurrent list so that states can also control the salt production. The center should not focus on quantity and intends to sell the land to other departments. Thousands of small producers and workers should be protected in the state of salt production.

K. Mariappan of the Joint Action Committee of South Indian Salt Manufacturers said that due to court intervention, a number of manufacturers have managed to continue production. This matter is in arbitration, and hopefully there are some positive things. “The situation in Andhra Pradesh is even worse. We hope that the Tamil Nadu government will take over the land belonging to the centre so that we can continue to produce salt. The central government wants only to dispose of its land. Hopefully, it agrees to hand over the land to various countries.”

The state is willing to take over the central land

The state government sources confirmed that in order to save producers and workers, the state has informed the center that it is willing to take over the lease of expired land. A senior official said Tamil Nadu Salt Company has applied for a promotional department to promote industry and internal trade from the union’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce. “This is a consultation with the Tamil Nadu Small Salt Manufacturers Association. The land will be negotiated with the producers.” The salt manufacturers hope that the state will take over the land and develop into a plan to sublease it to them. Some manufacturers are concerned that the government will announce that it will create a reservoir on the salt land of Thiruporur Taluk in the Glen Valley region to supply water to the city of Chennai. Official sources said the land had been around for a long time.

Although Himalayan salt, black salt, rock salt, kosher salt, bamboo salt and Celtic sea salt can be purchased by affordable people, Devi Priya, a home maker who often grinds sea salt for cooking in a pestle, there is nothing to beat the native, easy-to-use sea salt. With such a great follower, the sun and rain may be more friendly to salt makers.

(With input from P. Sudhakar of Thoothukudi and Shankari Nivethitha of Kanniyakumari.)