Sulphuric acid shortage hits Tamil Nadu’s fertilisers, pharma industries

Chennai, May 19 (KNN) Tamil Nadu is facing an acute shortage of sulphuric acid, which is having an adverse impact on many downstream industries like fertilisers, chemical, pharmaceutical, detergent, paper and pulp manufacturers.

Shutting down of Sterlite Copper factory in the State is the primary reason for the shortage of supply, which has forced many industries either to shut down, cut production, or look at other costlier alternatives.

Before the closure of factory, sulphuric Acid, a byproduct of Copper manufacturing was being supplied by the Thoothukudi unit to a major chunk of the Tamil Nadu market.

Sterlite Copper before its closure was producing 1 million ton per annum and contributing 8.3 per cent of the country's total sulphuric acid production before its closure.

It was also catering to the needs of 27 sulphuric acid customers as the largest supplier in southern India, with 95 per cent market share in Tamil Nadu.

“This lack of supply to Tamil Nadu has also increased the cost of sulphuric acid phenomenally—from Rs 6 to Rs 7 per kg to Rs 20 to Rs 30 per kg—because downstream industries are forced to import their requirements from different countries,” said NS Venkatraman, former secretary of the Chemical Industries Association (CIA), and an independent consultant.  

Moreover, despite the presence of three other sulphuric acid producing plants in the state-- Green Star Fertilizers Limited, Coromandel and Andhra Sugar--downstream industries were forced to continue to import because most of the produce from these three plants are used for captive consumption, he added.  (KNN Bureau)