 |
 |
||||||
[April 2009]
Rural Demand Boosts Ceramic Cluster Prospects
Business Standard reports that with the demand for ceramic products rising from rural areas and smaller cities in India, the massive ceramic industry in Morbi (Gujarat) is getting back to some form of normalcy after the slowdown which had impacted the sector in recent times. According to industry sources, the ceramic sector is now almost out of danger and several units which had feared closure might survive.
"The impact of slow down is now almost stable and no further damage is seen in current scenario as demand is increasing from rural areas and small cities across India,” commented Girish Pethapara, Managing Director of Decolight Ceramics and well known figure in the industry. “However, we will have to play the wait and watch game for sometime as far as exports are concerned. During the year, growth rate of industry had come down from 30-40 percent to 10 per cent. But the position is pretty good after third quarter of 2008-09."
Current estimates of the size of Morbi’s organised ceramic manufacturing sector puts it at around 270 plants – 152 wall tile units, 54 floor tile units, 22 vitrified tile units and 42 sanitaryware factories.
The turnover of the Morbi ceramic cluster dipped to Rs.4000 crore in the year 2008-09 as compared to Rs.4000-4500 crore for 2007-08. The industry there accounts for more than 60,000 direct and indirect jobs.
ENDS