Indore: Decreasing water levels and supplies to industries have raised worries for poha (flattened rice) industry, which is now contemplating to slash output.Poha is a popular breakfast consumed across the country and Ujjain is its leading in the state. Poha from Ujjain is supplied to most of the Indian states.With decline in regular water supply, poha manufacturing units have switched to water tankers that are expected to lift cost of operations by over 10 per cent.Ujjain Poha Parmal Nirmata Sangh president Girish Kumar Maheshwari said, “Industries have started contacting tanker suppliers because boring will soon get dry due to depleting underground water levels. Summer season is going to be very harsh on the industry and almost every unit will be forced to cut down output by 10 per cent.”A single poha manufacturing unit requires 1000 to 1500 litres of water every day to produce 5 to 7 tonnes of poha daily, industry players said.A poha manufacturer from Ujjain, Shailendra Rathi said, “I am planning to cut down production capacity this summer due to water shortage . Tanker water supplies are very expensive and hit profit margins.”Industry players said, cost of a water tanker fluctuates between Rs 350 and Rs 800 depending upon availability and demand. Water shortage is likely to escalate from April till June.Rathi said, “Poha manufacturing units try to survive on lowest margins in summers as increasing competition from other states does not allow us to hike prices.”In Ujjain, there are 35 poha manufacturing mills that produce 100 to 150 tonnes of poha per day.Besides, in summer, attrition rate also goes up as workers go back to villages in harvesting season that fetches more money to them, industry players said.

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