Healthy Growth Opportunities Visible in Indian Talc Industry

Despite a backlash due to COVID-19, Indian talc industry is set to grow at a healthy rate in the coming years. India is the 3rd largest producer of talc after China & Brazil. The Indian talc industry is set to grow steadily in the times to come on the back of rising domestic demand. India is also ramping up its export.

Despite a backlash due to COVID-19, Indian talc industry is set to grow at a healthy rate in the coming years. India is the 3^rd largest producer of talc after China & Brazil. Talc due to its excellent qualities such as softness & smoothness, lubricating property, low moisture content, chemical inertness, low heat & electricity conductivity, & beautiful luster finds wide industrial & commercial applications. Key growth drivers of the talc industry in India include paper & pulp industry, paints, chemicals, fabrications, cosmetics & much more. A large number of talc deposits are concentrated in the Western province of Rajasthan followed by other provinces such as Andhra Pradesh & Uttarakhand. 

Reserves & Applications

The current reserves of talc are roughly 309 million tonnes in India. Most of the mines are open cast where work done is either manual or semi & fully mechanized. In the Province of Rajasthan & Andhra Pradesh, there are also underground mines.

India constitutes around 11% of the global talc production alongside Mexico. China leads global talc production, constituting 32%. Brazil comprises of around 14% of the global market. The Indian talc is believed to be of good quality and comes next to its European counterparts.

Pulverized talc is used as fillers & extenders in various industries. In India over half of the talc produced is utilized in the paper industry. In the paper industry, talc is used to give porosity, opacity, & smoothness and to contain cost. Likewise, they are extensively used in the paint, ceramic & agrichemical industries (pesticides & fertilizers).  Increasingly, talc is also finding usages in refractors, foundries, switchboards, electrodes, etc.

In India, overall talc production has risen by around ~2% CAGR from FY 16 to FY 19, which is aligned with the global growth in commercial & industrial consumption of talc. While the demand in the cosmetic sector has dipped, in the paint industry it has marginally risen by a CAGR of 0.7%.

There has been a steep rise in the use of talc in the ceramic industry. Besides used as fillers, they are used as a catalyst in ceramic production due to their high thermal resistance. The addition of talc in the ceramic can make them more thermal shock resistance, notably improve their texture & acid resistance, and reduce cracking.

As the Indian ceramic industry is set for robust growth, it will continue to push ahead the demand for talc. The industrial town of Morbi, located in the province of Gujarat is one of the biggest ceramic producing clusters in the world. Indian ceramic tile industry has reached USD 4.4 billion in FY 19, from USD 2.9 billion in FY 15, clocking a CAGR of 11%.

Market Outlook

Despite momentary strains in the supply chain on the face of the recent pandemic, the Indian talc industry is set to grow steadily in the times to come on the back of rising domestic demand. India is also ramping up its export. India is one of the largest producers of lava grade talc, which is popular in international markets.

As the industry will grow, it will generate more demand & opportunities across the value chain. Domestic &  international companies looking to venture the lucrative business & require business research services, opportunity assessment studies, supply chain analysis can get in touch.  Drop us a mail with your requirements at Info@theindiawatch.com and someone from our team will revert.