Silver anklet units in Salem receive 10% of orders following drastic increase in price

Silver anklet manufacturing units in the district are receiving only 10% of their orders due to the drastic increase in the price of silver in the last few months.

Salem district is known for silver anklet production, through which one lakh people are getting direct and indirect employment. Over a thousand silver anklet units are functioning in Sivathapuram, Shevapet, Nethimedu, Maniyanoor, Ponnammapet, Fort, Suramangalam, Selathampatti, Jahir Ammapalayam, Panankadu, and Kondalampatti. The manufactured anklets are sent to jewellery shops in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. 

But, due to drastic increase in the price of silver over the past few months, most of the anklet manufacturing units have lost their orders, and the units look deserted without their workers.

The president of Salem Silver Anklet Manufacturers Handicraft Welfare Association, C. Sree Anandharajan, said that the price of one kilogram of silver in January 2025 was ₹1.10 lakh. But in October 2025, it crossed ₹2 lakh, and in January 2026, the price touched ₹3.40 lakh per kg.

He added that in the past three weeks alone, the price of silver increased by over ₹60,000. Due to the absence of auspicious days in the Tamil month Margazhi, the orders reduced drastically. As the Pongal festival is concluded, the wedding season will begin, and we expect orders in the coming days, Mr. Anandharajan said.

Demanding that people approach silver as a profitable investment, Mr. Anandharajan said that people are only focusing on the price hike, forgetting that the value of their old silver anklet and products’ have also increased. “If people come directly to anklet manufacturing units, they would receive 15% to 20% less than the current price for their old silver anklets, while in showrooms they deduct around 40%.” He stated that due to poor orders, most of the workers have moved to work at tea shops, hotels and to sell vegetables. “If the present situation continues, most of the anklet units will be closed,” Mr. Anandharajan added.