Nigeria crisis impacts TN match industries

MADURAI: The match manufacturing industry, predominantly located in Kovilpatti of Thoothukudi district and in Sattur and Sivakasi of Virudhunagar district, is reeling under the impact of economic uncertainty in Nigeria.

According to M Paramasivam, president, National Small Match Manufacturers Association, Kovilpatti, this industry relied heavily on export trade to once-emerging markets in African countries.

But the crisis paralysed the export of matchbox sticks over the last ten days as the Niger Port in Nigeria remained inaccessible after Nigeria had shut down its land border.

Almost seven African countries relied on Tamil Nadu as a major source of matchbox imports through the Niger Port.

Even the domestic market is also not enterprising because of cigar lighters.

“Since both export and domestic markets have been affected, it has cast a gloomy shadow on this manufacturing industry. Nowadays, many factories are not functional throughout the week,” he said.

E Perumalsamy, a manufacturer in Sattur, said the war-ravaged Sudan sent the match industry into a spin and over the last few months, Nigeria’s undergoing demonetisation exercise.

Further, he said already shipped container loads of matchboxes were kept out at sea off Niger Port and could not offload the containers.

“As of now, the situation in Nigeria hopefully appears to return to normalcy in two months,” he said.