A special committee will be formed to come up with strategies to revive Bahrain’s traditional pottery industry.

It is being spearheaded by the Northern Municipal Council and will conduct a comprehensive study on the sector in hopes of eliminating challenges faced by Bahraini potters operating in A'ali, known as the pottery capital of Bahrain, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

It will be led by area councillor Abdulla Ashoor and comprise representatives from the sector, the Industry and Commerce Ministry, and the Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry.

Bahraini pottery businesses have been impacted by a ban on digging for clay from the Hunainiyah Valley, near Riffa, which was imposed by the Southern Municipal Council in 2008 after uncovered trenches measuring three to four metres deep were deemed a potential health hazard.

However, a decision taken in November last year to lift the ban offered a lifeline to the industry.

“We are looking to revive the pottery industry, which has been a traditional profession for thousands of years in A'ali,” said Ashoor, who is also the council's public relations and information committee chairman.

“The council doesn't have executive powers to resurrect the dying profession, but it can form a commission to come up with studies and strategies to eliminate obstacles and challenges potters are currently facing.

“The magnitude of problems faced by potters is not clear, but we know it is serious since the place is nearly empty, while years ago it was busy with business.

Priority

“Restoring the industry's identity is something that we have taken as a priority in the council which is why we will meet potters to understand the situation alongside our partners in the government to work towards overcoming the problems.

“Whatever solution we may reach to help potters will take time, but we are looking for a beginning.”

Five of the country's 12 factories had closed in the past four years and the remaining seven were operating at just 10 per cent capacity.

One potter, Younis Habib Al Shogal, told the GDN that production has drastically dropped in the last few months despite the ban being lifted.

“From 12 factories, five have closed down after going out of business, but we have managed to survive somehow with what we produce daily which is around 10pc of our capacity,” he said.

“The existing seven factories are alive for now, it takes time to catch up.”

Impact

The GDN earlier reported that the ban on excavating clay from the Hunainiyah Valley was first introduced in 2007 after thieves illegally dug large pits in the valley and made off with lorry loads of clay to sell.

It was estimated that up to 2,000 truckloads of clay was taken from the valley since 2001, but the ban had an immediate impact on traditional pottery manufacturers.

At the end of 2007 potters were allowed to excavate clay from the valley during a six-month period, but only under supervision.

However, the industry suffered disastrous consequences once again when the Southern Municipal Council imposed the permanent ban in 2008.

The then Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Minister Dr Juma Al Ka'abi decided that excavations at the valley would resume but would only be carried out by the then Culture Ministry '“ which would distribute clay to potters and cover up trenches with sand from the seabed. - TradeArabia News Service