Natural Resources |
| Natural Resources |
Natural Resources play an important role in industrial development. Gujarat is endowed with important resources like minerals, marine, agriculture; besides animal wealth and human resources. The state government has taken several measures to explore and exploit these resources for industrial development.
Information on important natural resources useful for industrial development in the state is as under: |
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| Mineral Resources |
| The important mineral resources in Gujarat include limestone, lignite, bauxite, bentonite, chalk, china clay, dolomite, marble and granite; besides oil and natural gas. Information on reserves and location of the important minerals is as under:
Mineral Reserves of Gujarat
| Mineral |
In Million Tonnes |
Main Locations (District) |
Base metal |
8.5 |
Banaskantha |
Bauxite |
105 |
Kachchh, Jamnagar |
Bentonite |
105 |
Kachchh, Bhavnagar, Sabarkantha |
Calcite |
0.0891 |
Sabarkantha |
Chalk |
83.79 |
Porbandar, Rajkot |
China clay |
162.83 |
Kachchh, Mahesana, Sabarkantha |
Dolomite |
720.55 |
Bhavnagar, Vadodara |
Fluorite |
11.6 |
Vadodara |
Fireclay |
160.15 |
Surendranagar, Sabarkantha, Rajkot |
Gypsum |
3.376 |
Kachchh, Jamnagar |
Lignite |
2165.35 |
Bharuch, Kachchh, Bhavnagar, Surat |
Limestone |
11897.14 |
Amreli, Kachchh, Kheda, Jamnagar,
Junagadh, Panchmahal, Banaskantha,
Bhavnagar, Sabarkantha, Porbandar |
Quartz |
11.474 |
Panchmahal, Vadodara |
Siderite |
4.6 |
Kachchh, Bhavnagar |
Marble |
259.6 |
Panchmahal, Banaskantha, Vadodara |
Coal |
4.1 |
Mahesana |
Graphite |
2.135 |
Panchmahal, Vadodara |
Manganese Ore |
2.5 |
Panchmahal, Vadodara |
Nepheline Syenite |
19.03 |
Junagadh, Vadodara |
Wollestonite |
2.141 |
Banaskantha |
Granite |
2005 |
Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Vadodara,
Panchmahal, Mehsana |
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| Marine Resources |
Gujarat is having 1600 km. long coast line offering important resources such as salt and marine products for industry.
Gujarat is the largest producer of salt in the country and contributes 80% of total salt production in India. In 2005-06, Gujarat produced 139 lakh tonnes of salt. Besides using salt for edible purpose, it has played an important role in the development of salt based industry, especially production of inorganic chemicals.
Fish processing is also developed as an important industry. Gujarat is the second largest producer and exporter of marine products in the country. Veraval, Porbandar and Mangrol have developed as important fish processing centers. Gujarat accounts for 3.75 lakh hectares of brackish water area, out of the estimated 11.91 lakh hectares in India. |
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| Agricultural Resources |
| Agriculture is an important natural resource used in industry. Gujarat is known for the production of cash crops. Though Gujarat accounts for just 5% of the geographical area of the country, the state accounts for 30% of groundnut production, 18% of cotton production and 57% of tobacco production of the country. The other important agricultural crops used as industrial raw material include sugarcane, maize, rice, wheat, pulses, vegetables and fruits like banana and mango.
The important agricultural produce in Gujarat used as raw material in industry are as under:
| Crop |
Area (in 1000 hectare) |
Production (in 1000 tonnes) |
Rice |
683 |
1298 |
Wheat |
916 |
2473 |
Cotton |
1906 |
6772 * |
Groundnut |
1934 |
3389 |
Oil seeds (Total) |
3038 |
4686 |
*In bales |
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| Animal wealth |
Animal wealth is an important resource for industrial development, especially dairy industry, leather processing and cattle feed industry.
As per the live stock census of 2003, Gujarat is having total live stock population of 228.5 lakh and 81.5 lakh poultry population.
Gujarat is known for dairy development. Almost all the districts of the state are having projects for milk production and dairy products. This development has been in the cooperative sector. The total average milk procurement is 60 lakh litres per day. AMUL has emerged as an international brand in milk and milk products.
There has also been development of leather processing industry. There are a good number of leather collection centers in the state. There is scope for manufacturing leather based products in the state. |
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