Soaring metal prices affect artisans at Annuparpalayam in Tiruppur

For the 60 to 70 worksheds at Annuparpalayam in Tiruppur city, soaring copper and brass prices are impacting business.

These worksheds make intricate designs on copper and brass sheets for temples and daily worship. The price of brass is ₹1,350 a kg and that of copper is ₹1,600 a kg. The prices have gone up by ₹300 a kg in the last one week. Two years ago, the price of brass was ₹650 a kg and copper was ₹850 a kg, says Chandru, who runs a workshop at Annuparpalayam.

He is a third generation artisan supplying brass and copper arches and covers for gods and temples. “Our business is usually good during Pongal. But, it is dull for the last one month now. People have a budget to spend for temples and if the prices are high, they delay the orders,” he said.

Annuparpalayam, which is well-known for its stainless steel vessels and brass and copper worship essentials, has a cluster of cottage industries. “We buy metal from the northern States and provide employment to about 500 people. The price of copper is on the rise for the last few months,” he said.

These metals should be available locally at affordable prices so that the Annuparpalayam units do not miss the orders, say the artisans.