War shadow on Bengal foundries as stocks pile up, economies slow down

Export orders have been slowing down since Jan, impacting SMEs and depriving workers of overtime pay, a crucial wage component

Image
Ishita Ayan Dutt
1 min read Last Updated : Jun 28 2023 | 10:33 PM IST
An inventory pile-up, coupled with a slowdown in major economies, mainly triggered by the Russia-Ukraine war, is taking its toll on the foundry hub of Howrah in West Bengal, the once-fabled Sheffield of the East.
 
Export orders have slowed since January this year, hitting small and medium-sized units in particular. Lower income for owners means lower income for workers.
 
For years, Abhijit Saha worked in a foundry at Howrah’s Benaras Road – which has a large concentration of foundry units – but, of late, he has been forced to switch jobs in the
Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Quarterly Starter

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

Save 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online

  • Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :SMEs

First Published: Jun 28 2023 | 10:33 PM IST

Next Story