Punjab brick kilns closed due to rising costs and decreased building

Lahore: According to press reports from April 4th, 20% of brick kilns in Punjab had to close due to rising production costs and a reduction in construction activity.

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The news source stated that Punjab currently has 7,332 brick kilns running, employing thousands of people. Together with 20% of the brick kilns leaving, rising production costs have put the remaining kilns in danger of closing due to a lack of customers and ongoing losses. A spike in the price of transportation, coal, and mud per tractor-trolley has resulted in an increase in the price of making one million bricks from PKR 7 million to PKR 12 million.

According to the information, construction activities have fallen mostly due to the high cost of materials, and brick prices are at their lowest point in the last five years. Mehar Abdul Haq, secretary general of the Kiln Owners Association, revealed that brick kiln owners lose PKR 1.5 million every month. It is significant to note that several brick kilns were damaged by the flash floods in South Punjab last year, and many have not yet been repaired.