The brick industry of Rupandehi has reached the point of closure. The brick industry is on the verge of closure due to declining demand for bricks and rising price of coal required for brick production. Ajay Kumar Gupta, general secretary of the Lumbini Brick Industry Entrepreneurs’ Association, said that it has reached the stage of closure.
He said that the brick industry has been affected by natural calamities, unseasonal rains and the recent local elections. Secretary General Gupta said, “In the brick industry, only 60 percent is spent on coal. As the Nepali brick traders have to buy low quality coal at a high price, they have reached the brick industry with the intention of closing down the brick industry in the next one year. ”
About 48 brick factories have been registered and come into operation in the district, but due to the recent price hike in diesel, the cost of transportation of coal has gone up and the brick industry has come to a standstill due to lack of demand for bricks, said General Secretary Gupta.
Similarly, Deepak Poudel, a member of the Lumbini Brick Industry Entrepreneurs’ Association, accused the government of not paying attention to the issue of brick traders. He stressed on the need for the Government of Nepal to facilitate the import of coal and increase the demand for bricks produced in the district.
The bricks produced in Rupandehi reach various hilly districts including Palpa, Syangja, Kaski, Kathmandu, Arghakhanchi and Rolpal. The All India Federation of Brick and Tile Entrepreneurs has announced to close one lakh brick factories in neighboring India as brick traders could not bear the cost of brick production and it is estimated that this will affect Nepal as well.
