Punjab’s cooler industry faces pandemic heat
The room cooler manufacturing industry of Punjab has been hit by a sharp rise of up to 80% in the rates of raw materials and lockdown in various states due to the second wave of coronavirus outbreak.
Industrialists say the demand for coolers dipped by more than 30% last year and it may slide further this season too.
There are around 200 room cooler factories and ancillary units across Punjab engaged in manufacturing an estimated 5 lakh units annually.
Bathinda houses around 70 such units making it the hub of the cooler manufacturing sector in the state. The district has a past record of manufacturing an average of 1 lakh pieces every year. Mansa and Sangrur are among key districts catering to the cooler markets in Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi and other parts of the country. Industrialists say against the average production of five lakh units annually, the local units may not be able to supply half of it due to Covid-related restrictions for the second consecutive year. President of the North India Cooler and Fan Manufacturing Association Vikram Lakhi said the manufacturing cost of a steel or plastic body cooler has increased from Rs 3,000-3,500 to Rs 5,000-5,500 per unit this year. In the last one year, the rate of steel has jumped from Rs 42/kg to Rs 78/kg while the aluminium sheet that was available for Rs 260 now costs Rs 310.
“Copper has also seen a surge of Rs 300 as it is now available for Rs 850/kg. Manufacturing cost has increased, but demand in the market has dropped,” said Lakhi.
A leading cooler manufacturer from Mansa, Jawahar Lal Gupta, said till the last week of April, the maximum temperature in the Punjab and adjoining states was hovering below 40 degrees Celsius and the demand for coolers was low, he added.
“For the last 3-4 years, the cooler industry of Punjab had started penetrating up to Madhya Pradesh. But lockdown in key markets of Rajasthan, western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana has discouraged dealers to place orders. We are facing uncertain situation,” said Gupta.