Morbi leads India's ceramic exports with up to 90 pc share: Gujarat govt

Ahmedabad, Jan 6 (PTI) Ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC), Morbi district in the state has emerged as a key pillar of India's ceramic economy, contributing 80 to 90 per cent to the country's total ceramic exports, the state government said on Tuesday.

Gujarat is gearing up for the second edition of the VGRC Kutch-Saurashtra region, to be held in Rajkot on January 11 and 12, with various programmes lined up across the state.

"Morbi's ceramic industry is becoming a strong identity of Gujarat and India in the global market. As per estimates, exports worth approximately Rs 15,000 crore were made from Morbi during the year 2024-25," the government said in a release.

It contributes 80 to 90 per cent of India's total ceramic exports. High-quality ceramic tiles and related products manufactured here are mainly exported to countries, such as the United States, France, Germany, Oman, and Sri Lanka, highlighting Morbi's global credibility and the strong position of the 'Made in India - Made in Gujarat' brand, it said.

Morbi is globally renowned for the production of floor tiles, wall tiles, and vitrified tiles.

As part of the VGRC, a special showcase of the Morbi ceramic cluster will be presented, highlighting advanced ceramics, value-added products, energy-efficient technologies, and the progress of the new Ceramics Park, as per the release.

The state government is strengthening technology upgradation, automation, renewable energy adoption, waste recycling, and logistics support for industries.

The ceramic cluster of Morbi district is the world's second-largest cluster producing ceramic products.

There are an estimated 1,200 ceramic units located in Morbi district, with a total annual production of approximately 60 lakh tonnes. These units provide direct and indirect employment to an estimated 9 lakh people, the release said.

"Morbi has emerged as a centre of the ceramic industry in India and abroad. In the early days, traditional pottery was practised here, producing earthen pots, lamps, roof tiles, and household clay utensils. The quality of the local clay and the skill of artisans gave Morbi's products a distinct identity," it said.

With time, during the 1970-80s, the production of roof tiles and glazed tiles began, and gradually Morbi moved towards a modern ceramic industry. New technology, advanced machinery, and an entrepreneurial vision gave the city a new identity.

As per the government, under different industrial incentive schemes of the state government, during the last two financial years, assistance of more than Rs 115 crore has been directly extended to over 2,200 beneficiaries.

Like the ceramic sector, Morbi district can also emerge as a leading district in the polypack industry in the near future, the official release said. At present, a total of 150 PP-woven product units are operational in Morbi district.

Morbi's polypack industry currently produces approximately 5 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of PP woven fabric annually, with an estimated total annual turnover of ₹5,500 crore. The polypack industry presently provides direct and indirect employment to an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people in Morbi.

Along with ceramics and polypack, Morbi has also developed a large wall clock and gift article industry, which accounts for the biggest share of India's wall clock production.

There are approximately 150 to 200 wall clock units in the district. This industry provides direct and indirect employment to an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 people, of whom 60 per cent are women, the release added. PTI KVM NP