Targeting 3.3 Million Tons of Salt Production This Year

Targeting 3.3 Million Tons of Salt Production This Year

JAKARTA – Maritime and Fishery (KP) Ministry targeted this year’s salt production of 3.3 million tons or higher than 2014 salt production target of 2.5 million tons. With the target production of 3.3 million tons, Indonesia is expected to have salt self-sufficiency in 2017 as planned by KP Minister, Susi Pudjiastuti.

KP Ministry’s Director General for Coastal Areas and Small Islands, Sudirman Saad, explained actually slat self-sufficiency plan was initiated by Vice President Boediono in 2010 targeting consumption salt self-sufficiency in 2014 and industrial salt self-sufficiency in 2015. However, this effort is hampered by various things so salt import number dominated by industrial salt remains high. “We were ordered by Susi to have national salt self-sufficiency. Actually, this is not something impossible,” he said in Jakarta recently.

According to the data of salt import mapping by KP Ministry, in 2014, salt import number reached more than two million tons with 1.5 million tons or 75% of which is chlore alkali plant (CAP) salt for some industries such as paper, glass, and other chemical materials. 450 thousand tons is industrial salt for various foods allegedly shifted to consumption and 100 thousand tons is salt for drying skin and mining while 50 thousand tons is pharmacy salt (for intravenous fluid). “We have held discussions to halt the import. However, its administration is difficult since import application was submitted two months ago,” Sudirman said.

Sudirman said to achieve salt self-sufficiency, there are several efforts the government must conduct. First is to settle the land of PT Garam Indonesia having 7,000-hectare area in Kupang and the land of PT Cheetam having 1,000-hectare area in Nakego. Both lands are in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province and both firms must settle this land dispute to complete their investment. If the dispute is over, PT Garam Indonesia’s financing as a state-owned enterprise (BUMN) must also be supported by the government through state capital injection (PMN) to improve its productivity. However, KP Ministry does not know for sure how much PMN budget is. By the producing salt area of 8,000 hectares in NTT, KP Ministry is optimistic to produce almost 1 million tons with the assumption that 1 hectare can produce 120 tons. The number has not included the farms owned by PT Garam whose area reaches 5,000 hectares.

Second, Agrarian and Spatial Ministry will immediately certify all people’s salt farms whose area reaches 20-30 thousand hectares. Moreover, the salt farm must be included to city spatial plan (RTRW) to prevent salt farm conversion. Third, Public Works and People’s Housing (PU-Pera) Ministry is expected to revitalize and to build salt farms. Moreover, the salt farms’ economic activities is expected to be built to expedite distribution.

Coastal People and Business Director, Rianto Basuki, said to achieve salt self-sufficiency with the price not burdening farmers, it needs synergy among related ministries. For example, farmer’s salt price can suddenly drop since it is not the commodity whose price is protected. Moreover, to improve quality and quantity, land integration must be conducted. With around 0.27-hectare land owned by individuals, it will be difficult to produce salt with improved good quality. (Investor Daily)