Resilience of Mazandaran industry under the wheel of difficulties; Workers are at the bottom of the production line

Sari- The sounds of machines in factories are still heard and workers are standing at the production lines despite the economic difficulties.

Ambassador Arjan of the Provinces Group: behind the daily efforts to maintain production, there are concerns such as increasing costs, lack of liquidity, difficulty in providing raw materials and concerns about energy limitations.

In Mazandaran, where the food and pharmaceutical industries play an important role in meeting people's daily needs and industrial units strive to maintain production and employment, the continuation of factories requires more than ever the stability of the supply chain and practical support.

The industry depends on a set of factors to survive; From access to raw materials and energy to the provision of working capital, stability of regulations and the possibility of planning for production costs. Any disruption in this chain can make it difficult for factories to operate, and its effects, from reducing production capacity to increasing pressure on the market, can spread beyond an industrial unit.

Mazandaran, having diverse capacities in the production of food, pharmaceutical and industrial products, plays an important role in providing part of the market's needs. However, the industrialists of the province are trying to maintain the activity of their units in a situation where the increase in costs and the difficulties of supply, decision-making and planning have become more complicated. In such a situation, maintaining production does not only depend on the standing of workers and managers, and it is also necessary to remove financial obstacles, provide raw materials on time, and manage energy restrictions.

food industry; Production amid cost pressure

In an interview with Mehr reporter, Saeed Bagheri Restorati, head of Mazandaran House of Industry, Mining and Trade Food and Pharmaceutical Industry Association, referring to the capacity of the province in the production of chicken, oil, dairy and other food products, said: Mazandaran is one of the important provinces in providing basic goods, and its production capacity becomes more important in periods of increased demand.

Referring to the conditions of the recent war and Mazandaran hosting more than 20 million travelers, he added: Food industry producers continued to work with continuous effort during that period and did not allow the pressure of demand to lead to a noticeable shortage of goods in the market.

According to him, the units of this sector are now operating at high capacity, but the continuation of this trend requires that the problems related to the supply of raw materials, liquidity and production costs be followed up effectively.

Bagheri Restorati considered the lack of liquidity and working capital as one of the most important problems of the food and pharmaceutical industries and explained: the increase in the cost of purchasing raw materials, along with the need to pay current costs, puts a lot of pressure on the financial resources of factories. On the other hand, the disruptions created in the petrochemical sector during the recent war led to an increase in the price of some packaging raw materials and increased the cost of production more than in the past.

He also listed exchange rate fluctuations and delays in currency allocation and goods clearance as factors that make production planning difficult. According to him, when the producer is not sure of the arrival time of the raw materials or the final cost of its provision, he cannot plan with enough precision for the amount of production and his obligations in the market; Therefore, in currency decisions, it is necessary to consider their effects on the continuity of factories and to prioritize the raw materials needed for production.

The head of Mazandaran's House of Food and Pharmaceutical Industry Association called the gap between the approved prices and the actual cost of production as one of the problems of this sector and said: the increase in the cost of raw materials, packaging, transportation and other current expenses, in a situation where the selling price is not commensurate with these changes, puts additional pressure on the producer.

He emphasized: energy and transportation problems should be taken into consideration along with financial issues and supply of raw materials; Because each of these factors can increase the cost of production and affect the activity of the units.

Referring to the multitude of regulatory bodies in the field of food and pharmaceutical industries, Bagheri Menastari added: monitoring the quality and health of products is necessary, but the overlapping of some regulations and inconsistencies between institutions such as the Standards Organization, Food and Drug Organization, and Veterinary Medicine can make the operation of the units difficult.

According to him, greater coordination between devices and preventing parallel work can reduce producers' waste of time and resources and enable more focus on production.

He also demanded to pay attention to the implementation of support projects and their effects on the market, and referring to the elimination of preferential currency and the allocation of vouchers for the purchase of some food items, he said: it is necessary to coordinate the implementation of these projects with their primary goals.

According to him, support policies should be implemented in such a way that, while helping consumers, the production and supply chain does not face disruption.

Industrialists worry about energy limitations

Along with liquidity and raw material problems, energy supply has also become one of the important concerns of industrial units; Especially with the approach of the cold season of the year, when the possibility of increasing gas consumption and imposing restrictions on industries is raised.

Seyyed Mojtabi Razavi, head of the House of Industry, Mining and Trade of Mazandaran province, in an interview with Mehr reporter, referring to the continuation of some electricity restrictions, said: Although the pressure of electricity outages has decreased in the summer, the problems of this sector have not been completely resolved. On the other hand, the prediction of gas shortage in the northern provinces has raised concerns about the possibility of imposing restrictions on industries from November; However, restrictions are expected to be minimal for the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Emphasizing the necessity of maintaining the flow of production, Razavi stated: It is not possible to limit the energy and fuel needed by the factories, and at the same time expect the producers to operate without interruption and meet the needs of the market.

According to him, the continuity of production depends on regular access to energy, and any disruption in this field can make it difficult for factories to operate and affect the supply of products.

He expressed hope that the industrialists and people will be able to continue the path of economic activity by passing through the current difficult conditions and emphasized: After the war, the policies and decisions related to the production sector should be reviewed. From the point of view of industry activists, clear planning for energy supply and timely notification of possible restrictions can give production units the opportunity to adjust themselves to the upcoming conditions and reduce the occurrence of sudden disruptions.

Providing raw materials and maintaining production capacity

In another part of Mazandaran industry, access to raw materials and use of existing capacities are considered to be effective factors in the continuity of production and maintaining employment. Delays in the supply of required materials can disrupt the process of factories and delay the delivery of orders; Therefore, it is important to follow the needs of industrial units and find alternative supply routes.

Alijan Nejad, Director General of Mazandaran Industry, Mining and Trade, in an interview with Mehr reporter, referring to the measures taken for the continuation of production and stability of the market, said: the activity of industrial units did not stop during the recent crisis and war, and efforts to meet the needs of producers are still ongoing.

According to him, the provision of some of the raw materials needed by the industries, including steel sheet, is on the agenda, and if the anticipated resources are not sufficient, other routes will be pursued to meet the needs of the units.

Referring to the position of the industry in the province and the country, he added: supporting industrial units and providing them with raw materials is effective in maintaining the production process and responding to market orders.

The Director General of Mazandaran Industry, Mining and Trade also stated that maintaining production, developing the activities of factories and using inactive capacities are among the priorities of the province this year.

Appreciating the efforts of managers of industrial units to maintain employment and continuity of activity in difficult economic conditions, Alijannejad emphasized the necessity of continuing this path. He also said that some old problems within the scope of industrial units of the province can be followed up and to solve them, coordination with relevant authorities and executive bodies will be pursued.

Overcoming obstacles with practical support

The sum of these views shows that the problems of the Mazandaran industry are not limited to one factor and a series of financial issues, supply of raw materials, energy, transportation and regulations have put pressure on the producers' activities.

In such a situation, handling the problems should be done according to the actual needs of the units; In such a way that the provision of raw materials, access to working capital and management of energy constraints lead to tangible results in the production process.

Coordination between executive bodies, reducing parallel administrative procedures and evaluating the consequences of economic decisions on production can also remove some of the obstacles. Besides that, identifying inactive capacities and providing suitable conditions for their return to the production cycle creates an opportunity to strengthen employment and increase the supply of goods in the market.

The workers are still standing at the production lines and the artisans are trying to keep the factories running; But the continuation of this stand requires effective support and decisions that reduce the daily problems of production. Supporting the industry will be effective when its result can be seen in more reliable access to raw materials, reducing cost pressure, providing energy and maintaining job opportunities; A path that can strengthen the resilience of Mazandaran industry against economic difficulties.