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India’s salt production, concentrated in Gujarat’s salt pans, is facing a grim future due to erratic weather patterns, putting the nation’s self-sufficiency in salt at risk.
For centuries, the Agariya community in Gujarat’s Kachchh district has relied on the region’s arid climate and vast salt marshes to produce salt, a practice deeply rooted in their cultural heritage. However, the once-predictable weather patterns that facilitated their livelihood have taken an uncertain turn, casting a shadow over the future of salt production in the region.
According to Shamji Kangad, owner of Neelkanth Salt and Supply Private Ltd., cyclones like Tauktae in May 2021 and Biparjoy in June 2023 have disrupted the salt production cycle, sometimes for as long as 30 days, even though the cyclone warnings last only 10 days.
The impact of these disruptions is reflected in the declining salt production levels in Gujarat, which accounts for 80% of India’s salt production. Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi, another major salt-producing region, has faced similar challenges, with unseasonal floods in December 2023 washing away 400,000 tons of salt.
The shifting sands of climate change
The salt production season, which traditionally spanned nine months, has now been reduced to a mere six months, leading to a 60-70% decrease in production, according to salt farmers in Kachchh. This alarming decline can be attributed to the changing weather patterns, which have strayed from the ideal conditions required for optimal salt production.
Bhoomi R. Andharia, a senior scientist at the Salt and Marine Water Division of CSMCRI (Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute), explains the intricate relationship between temperature, humidity, and salt production.
‘As temperature rises, there is more evaporation of seawater, resulting in highly saturated air mass over salt works in coastal areas. This increases humidity, which in turn lowers the evaporation of salt’ she said.
The ideal weather conditions include an average temperature range of 20 to 45 degrees Celsius, rainfall not exceeding 600 mm in a total spell of 100 days, relative humidity of 50 to 70%, and wind velocity of 3 to 15 kms per hour, with wind direction from North-East to South-West and North-West to South-East to aid evaporation of brine.
According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the average annual rainfall in Kachchh has increased by nearly 30% over the past decade, with the region receiving an average of 625 mm of rainfall annually between 2013 and 2022, compared to the long-term average of 480 mm.
This increased precipitation has disrupted the delicate balance required for optimal salt production, leading to a worrying decline in output.
