BERHAMPUR: The century-old salt industry in Ganjam district is facing a crisis. Due to lack of marketing opportunities and concern of the Government and natural calamities, seawater salt production in coastal district has been in steady decline during the past decade. After paddy and sugarcane, the district in known for its salt production. But due to apathy of the State Government, the salt production has drastically reduced. Odisha produces 3,135 tonnes of salt against its annual need of 6.7 lakh tonnes, including 4.5 lakh tonnes required by the industries.
The district, with its salt producing centres at Surala, Sumandi, Humma, Ganjam and Rambha, used to contribute nearly 90 per cent of the State’s salt production. Though over 20,000 families were earning their livelihood from salt cultivation in the district, more than 70 per cent of them have migrated to other States in search of jobs due to lack of patronage, mismanagement and monopoly of the lease holders. While there were over 5,143 acres of salt areas in the State, only 3,035 acres were used for production and of which, 60 per cent was in Ganjam.
Out of five salt production centres, Humma Salt Production and Sale Cooperative Society was the major producer in the district. The society, registered in 1942, had started salt production in 1946 over 1,200 acres of land. The salt cultivation has reduced drastically during the last one decade and this year, only 160 acres have been brought under the cultivation leaving behind the rest of the land barren. While the salt production units at Surala and Sumandi have stopped for the last four years, Ganjam and Rambha centres are in doldrums. Over 2,000 families in Surala and Sumandi were engaged in salt cultivation, but now most of them have migrated to other States, said Janardhan Odiya, a villager.
Sabar Tarai, a local, alleged that leaseholders are not paying adequate wages to salt workers. During the last five years, over 5,000 workers of three panchayats in Ganjam block have migrated to other States, he said and urged the State Government to initiate necessary measures.