Lack of Salt Supply, Five Food and Beverage Companies Cease to Operate

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta, Chairman of the Association of Food and Beverage Entrepreneurs (Gapmmi) Adhi Lukman said the limited supply of industrial salt caused the five companies will stop operating.

"Currently, the supply of industrial salt is still very low, the impact of the five companies will stop operating while waiting for the import of salt," said Adhi to the media crew in Jakarta (8/3/2018).

He added that the five companies that will stop operating because they do not have a supply of raw materials of salt that mostly come from food companies, such as for instant noodles products, biscuits, and snacks.

Adhi said, the current needs of food and beverage industry for industrial salt reaches 535 thousand tons. Thus, the certainty of raw materials must be available so as not to inhibit the productivity of industrial sulfur. Over the Ramdhan and Lebaran periods, where seasonal food and beverage needs will increase.

"Do not let production stop," said Adhi.

According to him, the salt import recommendation previously given by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) was considered not enough to meet the needs of the industry.

Meanwhile, Director General of Agro Industry at the Ministry of Industry, Panggah Susanto, also stated that the industry's need can not wait for salt harvest. The raw material availability data should also be calculated appropriately to ensure production activities.

"It can be seen by the manufacturer and its capacity," he said.

Previous salt import recommendations from the Ministry of Industry have been diverted to the CTF since 2015. Thus, the difference in data that emerges then becomes a new problem.