Sunday, June 24, 2019.
Gujarat produces 72% of the total salt of India. In Gujarat, salt is being produced in Little Rann of Kutch, which is known as "Vadagaru Salt" and that along the coast, is called as "Karkacch Salt.
Communities who possess of harvesting salt through traditonal method are identified as "Agariays" (Agar=Salt farm) . There are around 1.5 lakh Agariyas in Gujarat who earn their livelihood through salt farming.
However the biggest irony is that the primary producer has to live their life in a situation that is similar to bondage labour, as they have to trade their salt in advance, for the requirement of money for salt farming.
In the month of Septebmer, Agariyas move to the salt farms and returns by April/May.
During eight months, they reside in harsh environments, extrement temparature upto 50 degrees and with no access to basic facilities like regular water supply, health care, education, transport etc.
The reward of this hard work is some peanuts thrown by the traders. The price of the salt is pre-fixed by traders, which is as low as 15 paisa /Kg of Salt.
Government have some welfare schemes like Safety kits, mobile health Vans, Schools at working place, Hostels in residential villages, Bycycle at subsidised rate, and Solar Water Pump System of Rs.2 lakh at 80% subsidy. However the basic issues like access to means of production like land entitlements, access to formal credit system, support price and insurance cover to the produce are not being addressed. Unless that are done, there won't be significant change in the life of traditional Agariya.
in 2014, former justice Shri M. B. Shah was asked to give a report to the state, on status of Agariyas in Gujarat and way ahead. In this report there has been clear mention about Suppor price, and market access, bank credit and insurance to the salt produced by Salt farmers.
This year Traders have declared price of 15 paisa per kg. You and me purchase salt f@Rs.15 or even 20/Kg. The plastic bag in which the 1 kg salt is packed has more cost than 15 paisa .
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