Salt production resumes in Vedaranyam

Salt production was resumed across 9,000 acres in Vedaranyam after a three-month pause caused by monsoon

Salt production was resumed across 9,000 acres in Vedaranyam after a three-month pause caused by monsoon. Restoration work is under way at Agasthiyanpalli, Kadina Vayal, and Kodiyakkadu, where salt pans were affected by stagnant rainwater.

Workers are using electric pumps to drain water and repair the pans by clearing silt and reinforcing them with fresh soil. These preparations are expected to enable production to begin within a week.

In the Vedaranyam region, around 3,000 acres in Agasthiyanpalli are managed by small and medium producers while 6,000 acres in Kodiyakkadu and Kadina Vayal are used for industrial-grade salt production. The region produces about 5 lakh tonnes of salt annually, which is transported to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.

The monsoon had halted operations, affecting employment for salt pan workers. Restoration work has now created steady employment opportunities. “We are working day and night to restore the pans. Full-fledged production will begin by Pongal festival,” said V. Senthil, Secretary of the Vedaranyam Small Scale Salt Producers’ Federation.

The first harvest of “Puthu Pon” (new salt) is expected after the Pongal festival, marking the start of the production season.