Lack of policy support slows stones export

Bengaluru: The growth in exports of natural stones from India like granite, marble, slate and quartzite slowed down in 2019 due to lack of policy support from State governments, according to industry players.

General Secretary of the Federation of Indian Granite & Stone Industry S Krishna Prasad said, Indian exports crossed $2.2 billion (Rs 14,000 crore) in 2018, up 10 per cent from the previous calendar year.

"Last year (2019), it was estimated to be slightly more, may be five per cent growth", Prasad said. "Production is down and a lot of processing units have closed down".

India has the second largest deposit of natural stones in the world with 15 per cent of the natural stone reserve, which is about 46.23 billion cubic metres, according to FIGSI. Globally, India is in fourth position in natural stone trade.

FIGSI President Ishwinder Singh said, of late the processing industry is "starving" for want of raw materials, adding, governments need to grant more quarries to support it.

"Since the closure of most of the quarries in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka due the state governments' 'policy decisions', the processing industry is importing marble under OGL', Singh told reporters.

"Export-oriented units are importing both marble and granite blocks to overcome shortage of supplies". He said the industry needs long-term quarry lease, ranging from 30-50 years with guarantee renewals.

Singh also said that the Rajasthan model of royalty collection seems to be "very practicable" and other state governments may adopt it with requisite modifications suitable to them.

Meanwhile, he said FIGSI has plans to develop an R&D centre for natural stone industry, a world-class stone museum, stone testing laboratory and exhibition centre, among others.

FIGSI is hosting the 14th international granite and stone fair -- STONA 2020 -- at Bengaluru International Centre from February six to nine.

About 550 exhibitors from India and abroad are participating in the event, Chairman, STONA 2020, Manoj Kumar Singh said.

"We are having country pavilions from Turkey, China, Iran and Italy and many individual exhibitors from Oman, Ukraine, Coatia, Spain and many other countries", he said.