Salt cultivation faces crisis in Srikakulam dist

Srikakulam: Negligence on the part of Central and state governments and interference of middlemen have pushed salt cultivation into crisis at Noupada region in the district. Salt is being cultivated in an extent of 5,000 acre at Bhavanapadu, Marripadu, Selagapeta, Seethanagaram, Noupada, Yamalapeta, R.Sunnapalli, Mulapeta and Akasalakhavaram villages which are located near Bay of Bengal making their lands favourable for cultivation of salt.

But lease period was expired for 2,000 acre in 2018 and since then, the Central government’s salt department officials have not renewed the licence of farmers. As a result, salt cultivation was reduced to 3,000 acre and lease period for these lands will also expire in 2027.

Salt cultivation begins every year during the winter season and continues till the end of the summer. Salt yields are available for every one month and Rs 30,000 is required to invest to cultivate salt in an extent of one acre for lifting sea water into the fields through motors, labour, etc., Transport facility is not available for salt producers as a result of which farmers are depending on local middlemen. In the past, salt from here was exported to West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and north Indian states when trains were available for salt export. Storage of salt is not available, no minimum support price has been fixed by the government, steps have not been initiated by the government to prevent intervention of brokers. Due to these reasons, salt cultivators are switching over to other vocations and are also migrating to other parts across the state for their livelihood.