Kerala based plywood industries are staring at acute shortage of labourers and workers in their plywood mills. The huge shortage of manpower, has badly affected the production of plywood factories. According to reports, the production volumes have dropped by 60-65 percent from last week of March. The productivity issues due to workers unavailability is expected to be continued till April or May month.
Industry reports that Kerala Plywood manufacturing is majorly dependent on migrant laborers hailed from Assam and West Bengal. Due to the assembly elections and marriage seasons in both states, the workers have returned to their home states.
Perumbavoor, Aluva, Kannur etc, the hub of timber industries in the state, have 90 per cent of workers from West Bengal and Assam. “It is difficult to replace such a large number of workers. Plywood industry is badly hit and it continues till these workers return after the elections,” said M Mujeeb Rahman, President of Sawmill Owners and Plywood Manufacturers Association.
Plywood Industry expects that April month is more critical for producing units because remaining labourers from Orisha, Bihar, Jharkhand may move to their native place due to festival and marriage seasons. Industry sees dip in production in April month and expects that the production will be normal from May onward once the workers return.