Dry Season Brings Blessings for Brickmakers in Brebes

The dry season affecting Brebes Regency, Central Java, has brought a blessing for local red brick artisans. Clear skies and intense sunlight are the main factors accelerating the brick drying process before the firing stage.

This situation is evident at one of the production centres in Banjarharjo Village, Banjarharjo District. Since morning, artisans have been busy moulding clay in open drying areas. The steady, scorching heat from morning to evening allows the bricks to dry much faster compared to the rainy season.

Sukim, a 53-year-old local artisan, explained that the current weather is highly supportive of his productivity. He noted that for a batch of 20,000 bricks, the process from moulding to being ready for firing takes about one month with a team of four workers. The firing process itself takes 24 hours, or one full night.

Regarding the economic aspect, Sukim stated that the selling price of red bricks currently reaches Rp1,000 per piece. For one production cycle of 20,000 bricks, the total operational costs amount to approximately Rp5 million. Despite these costs, Sukim admits he still earns a sufficient profit margin to support his family, estimating it at around 20 percent.

The marketing system for red bricks in Banjarharjo Village is simple yet effective. Buyers typically come directly to the production site to place their orders. With the weather forecast predicting continued heat in the coming weeks, the artisans hope to maximise production to meet the steady flow of market demand.