Safety matches manufacturers thanked the Modi-Government for restricting import of cigarette lighters and its spare parts, thus protecting the match industry and the livelihood of lakhs of workers.
Talking to reporters here on Thursday, J. Vijayanand, president of All India Chamber of Match Industries, Sivakasi, said the industry was facing an unequal competition from cheap lighters that were being imported from China for the last three years.
Every cheap lighter that costs around ₹10 per piece was destroying the usage of at least 20 match boxes. Over a period, its proliferation led to sluggish sale of match boxes and eventually led to production loss.
The annual turnover of the industry, predominantly present in Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi and Tenkasi districts, which was around ₹2,000 crore dipped to ₹800 crore. This led to job loss as the units were run for only four days a week, said V. S. Sethurathinam, secretary of National Small Match Manufacturers’ Association, Kovilpatti.
The match manufacturers met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goel, through BJP leader Raama Srinivasan.
Initially, the Union Government increased the import duty on cheap lighters by ₹20 in June 2023 which made the lighters cost around ₹30. “This led to increase in production of matches for three months,” said another manufacturer Gopalsamy.
However, the joy of the industry was short-lived as very soon, the importers found a shortcut and started to import spare parts of lighters and locally-assembled lighters again flooded the market, said Mr. Srinivasan.
The manufacturers again knocked at the Centre seeking to stop import of the spare parts.
As a result, the Centre on October 13 restricted import of lighters and its spare parts, said another manufacturer Paramasivam.
Mr. Gopalsamy said that the industry did not see any threat from local manufacturers of lighters.
“Already domestic players are making lighters at BIS standard and they cost around ₹50 in the market, which does not pose threat to the sale and usage of matches,” he added.
Published – October 17, 2024 05:06 pm IST