Indonesia targets salt self-sufficiency by 2027 through quality improvements

Indonesia is working toward salt self-sufficiency by 2027, focusing on both production volume and meeting industrial quality standards. Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono noted that while national demand reaches 4.5 to 5 million tons annually, domestic production only averages 1 to 2 million tons. This gap necessitates importing 2.5 to 3 million tons per year, primarily to satisfy industrial requirements for high-purity salt.

Currently, most local salt has a sodium chloride (NaCl) content of approximately 94 percent, whereas many industrial sectors require a minimum of 97 percent. To address this, the Ministry is developing the National Salt Industry Center (K-SIGN) in Rote Ndao, East Nusa Tenggara. This center utilizes technology to target a productivity of 200 tons per hectare per year, with trial results showing NaCl levels meeting the 97 percent industrial standard, comparable to Australian salt.

In Aceh Utara, the Ministry is also supporting salt farmers by constructing 186 permanent salt boiling kitchens to restore production following previous disasters. This initiative aims to increase NaCl levels from 94 percent to above 96 percent, potentially opening markets for industrial and pharmaceutical use.