Chamber of Commerce and Industry Advises All Related Parties Inspect Aspect of National Salt Industry

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta, Scarcity of money salt had happened recently as if remind all parties to immediately rearranging aspects of industry and trade.

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) asks all parties to reorganize the aspects of the salt industry and the obstacles encountered, as well as seek solutions to this problem.

"Local salt prices have jumped, before the government finally has to take import step to stabilize the price, that means we have to fix all aspects related to the salt," said Vice Chairman of Kadin for Marine and Fisheries, Yugi Prayanto at the event of 'Salt Discussion' in Tower Kadin, Jakarta, Wednesday (16/08/2017).

He said that the government's decision to import 75,000 tons of consumption salt until August is considered a good step. However, he urged the government to stop imports as domestic salt farmers have entered the peak of production later this month to avoid making local salt prices drop.

"At that time, we expect the government to be more prudent to side with the salt farmers, however domestic production should be kept in mind," he said.

Previously, the People's Coalition for Justice Fisheries (KIARA) launched, Indonesia has been importing salt since 1990 ago as many as 349,042 tons. The imports are done to meet industrial needs and scarcity of salt stocks due to the impact of weather anomalies.

As is known, the production of salt had abundant up to 800 thousand tons in the Cabinet Development IV or Pelita IV. In fact, the need for salt consumption at that time only 600 thousand tons. Unfortunately, the farmer's salt production can not be absorbed by the industry because it does not meet the criteria of sodium chloride (NaCl) content in salt of 97 percent.

Salt imports are always a solution when salt is rare during drought. The government also eases the import of salt import by issuing at least nine regulations in the form of Ministerial Regulation or Ministerial Decree since 2004. Most recently, the Regulation of the Minister of Trade No. 125 of 2015 even aims to simplify the import licensing of salt.

"The government should have prepared a better system of salt distribution, so as not to harm local farmers," he concluded.