WHEN WILL LOCAL SALT PRODUCTION FULFILL DOMESTIC DEMAND?

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 22 (Antara) - Since salt production has remained stagnant, Indonesia has been importing the commodity since the last two decades, though it was able to increase production during the 2012-2015 period.         Hence, the government is optimistic of boosting its salt production and encouraging the adoption of a salt-processing technology that is adaptive to climate change. Climatic conditions pose a problem to salt farming in the country.         Currently, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (KKP) has been intensively working to increase the nation's salt production. Moreover, the government has set a target to realize self-sufficiency in salt production by 2020.          Moreover, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan had recently expressed his keenness to accelerate the realization of the target by 2019.          However, can the target be realized by 2019? This year, the government has once again decided to import 3.7 million tons of industrial salt. The annual demand of the salt industry is estimated at 2.3 million tons.

TECHNOLOGY KEY TO BOOSTING SALT PRODUCTION

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 14 (Antara) - All sectors in the current technological era will require suitable technologies if they are not to be left behind, including in the production of salt.         Indonesia has the potential to produce and meet its domestic salt requirement, but due to weather anomalies, it has been lagging behind in domestic salt production; thus, it needs to import the commodity.     Although the country was earlier able to produce adequate salt to meet the domestic demand, its production last year was only some 144 thousand tons, much lower than its target of three million tons. The domestic salt requirement currently reaches 4.4 million tons per annum.         Hence, the government is encouraging to increase production and adopt a salt-processing technology.     "The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) should adopt a salt-processing technology that is adaptive to climate change and requires substantial investment," Subhan Usman, a researcher with Destructive Fishing Watch, stated in Jakarta on Friday.         According to Usman, the KKP has intensively worked to increase the nation's salt production. Moreover, the government has set a target to realize self-sufficiency by 2020. Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan wants the target to be moved forward and accelerated to be realized by 2019.

INDONESIA POISED TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT IN SALT IN 2019

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 30 (Antara) - Salt is one of the commodities still imported by Indonesia, though the country has the potential to produce and meet its own annual domestic demand of some four million tons.          Indonesia was able to become self-sufficient in salt production for a period of four years from 2012 to 2015, but due to weather anomalies, it has been importing the commodity again.          Last year, for instance, domestic salt production of just 144 thousand tons accounted for a meager four percent of its target of three million tons.          Data from the state-owned salt company PT Garam revealed that the national demand for salt has reached 4.04 million tons per annum comprising 1.3 million tons of consumer salt and 2.74 million tons of industrial salt.          Of the salt imported for the industry, 2.14 million tons was for the chemical industry, one thousand tons for pharmacies, and 40 thousand tons for oil mining.         Hence, the government is determined to regain its earlier position of being self-sufficient in salt production.

SALT SCARCITY NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 29 (Antara) - The current salt scarcity in Indonesia needs to be investigated to check involvement of salt business mafia to increase the price of the essential commodity.          According to a researcher, it need to be explored whether the scarcity occurs because of a distribution game played by the mafia or because of a lack of salt stock in storage warehouses and markets.          "If the scarcity is caused by the game, then the government needs to take firm actions and sanctions for the perpetrators," Destructive Fishing Watch (DFW) Indonesia researcher, Subhan Usman, said in Jakarta on Saturday (July 29).           Usman suggested that the government should immediately undertake a thorough reform of all aspects of national salt business performance. Comprehensive reforms cover many issues ranging from limited land and poor quality salt that local producers produce to low productivity, he continued.          In addition, it is also necessary to update the use of traditional technology and anticipate anomalies that have occurred during the last two years, he said.          "The problem of limited salt land is a fundamental issue that must be intervened through the economic equality policy currently implemented by the government through the distribution of land to salt farmers," he stated.

SALT PRICE SHOOTS UP AS MARKETS RUN SHORT OF STOCK

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 27 (Antara) - The markets in various parts of the country are running short of consumer salt stock, causing the price of the commodity to shoot up over the past few days.         In Jakarta for example, the price of a small pack of salt which was usually sold at Rp2 thousand rose to Rp5 thousand at Gondangdia Market in Central Jakarta on Tuesday. "Last month, the price of the relatively larger pack was Rp30 thousand but now it is sold at Rp50 thousand," Aceng, a trader, said on Tuesday.          The rising prices and scarcity of stock of salt took place not only in Jakarta but almost in all provinces. Therefore, a legislator has called on the government to interfere in solving the problems of the salt crisis in the country.           The government should take actions and investigate the causes of the salt crisis. "I think, this is part of our carelessness or inability to maximize the potentials that we have," legislator Siti Mukromah who is a member of Commission VI of the House of Representatives (DPR) said in Purwokerto, Banyumas District, Central Java, on Wednesday.          Logically, Indonesia should never run short of salt but adversely it happens now as the commodity is difficult to find in the market with normal prices. If the exploration and exploitation of salt are carried out, a crisis like now should not happen, according to Mukromah.

GOVERNMENT TO EASE IMPORT OF INDUSTRIAL SALT

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 22 (Antara) - The government will ease the importation of industrial salt in order to overcome the current shortage of raw material or raw salt being faced by industries in the country.          To this purpose, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) will issue a ministerial regulation that will no longer make it necessary to obtain a recommendation in order to import salt.          Based on Law No. 7 of 2016 on Protection and Empowerment of Fishermen, Fish Breeders and Salt Farmers, a recommendation from the KKP must be obtained to import industrial and consumer salt.          Industries are currently facing a shortage of raw salt for industry. To overcome the problem, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, on Friday (July 14), held a meeting with Chief Economic Minister Darmin Nasution, Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita, Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto, and KKP Minister Susi Pudjiastuti to discuss the issue of industrial salt     One of the results of the meeting is that the Trade Ministry will no longer need a recommendation from the KKP before it can issue a license to industries to import industrial salt as part of the efforts to cope with the shortage of industrial salt.          "The KKP will issue a regulation where the importation of industrial salt will no longer need a recommendation from us," KKP Minister Pudjiastuti was quoted as saying by Tempo.Co. on Saturday (July 15).

RI NEEDS TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE SALT PRODUCTION

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 13 (Antara) - Indonesia has not been able to meet its need for salt although it has a vast stretch of coastal areas conducive to salt production.          To meet its needs for both consumer salt and industrial salt, the country is forced to import the commodity. However, salt farmers complain about the imports because domestic production cannot compete against imported commodity, and is negatively impacted.      Data with the state-owned salt company, PT Garam, showed that the national need for salt has reached 4.04 million tons per annum. It consisted of 1.3 million tons of consumer salt and 2.74 million tons of industrial salt.          Of the salt imported for industry, 2.14 million tons was for chemical industry (ACP), 1,000 tons for pharmacies and 40,000 tons for oil mining.          Last year, domestic salt production of just 144,009 tons accounted for a meagre four percent of its 3 million tons target.          In order to boost domestic production, Indonesia needs to use advanced technology. Maritime and fisheries observer Abdul Halim said the Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) need to be involved in efforts to increase salt production.

FIRM URGES GOVT TO STOP SALT IMPORTS FOR FOOD INDUSTRY

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 11 (Antara) - The government needs to improve its policy on salt imports for industrial purposes and stop the importation of the commodity that is used for food industry.         "The government needs to protect all sides (industry and farmers). It has to seek best solutions for both, industry and salt farmers, so that salt business runs well, benefiting both parties," Achmad Budiono, the president director of the state-owned salt company PT Garam, said in Jakarta on Monday.          The trade minister had issued a decree No. 125/M-DAG/PER/12/2015 on salt imports. Signed on December 29, 2015, the decree stipulated that salt for industry could be imported by firms which owned a producer importer identity number (APIP).          Industrial salt importers are not allowed to sell the salt to consumers in regular markets or change the ownership of the imported salt to other parties.

GOVERNMENT TO REVISE REGULATION ON SALT IMPORTS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 22 (Antara) - The Indonesian government plans to revise its regulation on salt imports in order to increase domestic purchases of locally produced salt.         Currently, salt imports are based on Trade Minister's Regulation No. 58/M-DAG/PER/9/2015 on Salt Import.         "We have set up a team to revise Trade Minister's Regulation No.58/2015. We want to regulate three issues on salt imports," Karyanto Suprih, the acting director general of External Trade of the Ministry of Trade, said on Wednesday, Aug. 19.          He made the remarks in response to calls by farmers that the government should stop salt imports, which have flooded local markets and caused prices to fall.          The acting director general noted that since 2013 the government has not issued a license for the importation of consumer salt.          "Since 2013, we have not issued import permits for consumer salt. We have issued permits only for the importation of industrial salt, including salt used by various food industries," he said.

NEW MINISTER EXPECTED TO OVERCOME SALT PROBLEM AT HOME

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 13 (Antara) -- President Joko Widodo's move to appoint Rizal Ramli, an outspoken economist, as the coordinating minister for maritime affairs is expected to help resolve the issues related to salt at home.          Salt production by local farmers in the country has been facing stiff competition from an influx of imported salt in the domestic market, which allegedly involves a salt cartel.          "This is an important issue that must be resolved to realize the government's efforts to achieve food sovereignty," General Chairman of the Indonesian Traditional Fishermen's Association (KNTI) Muhammad Riza Damanik said on Thursday.          The KNTI has urged Minister Rizal Ramli, who was the coordinating minister for economic affairs during former president Abdurrahman Wahid's term, to investigate the alleged presence of a salt cartel.

GOVERNMENT TO CONTROL SALT IMPORTS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 7 (Antara) - The local farmers have always voiced their complaints about the imported salt and agricultural products, such as rice and sugar when these products are flooding the domestic market.          Concurrently, the government is obligated to protect the interests of farmers and consumers, while businesses are only keen to make considerable profits.      Hence, when the prices and quality of local products fail to compete in the domestic market, importers tend to look to foreign goods that harm the interest of the farmers.          To create a balanced environment for businesses, farmers, and consumers, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries will form a task force team to audit salt imports as part of its efforts to supervise the salt business in the country.          Salt farmers have so far complained about the imported salt, and domestic production has now dropped due to the commodity's declining prospects in the country.          The price of salt in the domestic market is about Rp750 to Rp1.5 thousand per kilogram (kg) while salt from Australia, for instance, costs only Rp500.

GOVT LIKELY TO IMPORT SALT THIS YEAR

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 10 (ANTARA) - Despite its decision  last year to stop importing consumer salt, the government is likely to import the commodity this year as stocks at home are now running low.          In order to meet the country's need for salt in the March-July 2012 period, the government is expected to set a quota of  600,000 tons - 700,000 tons for salt imports this year.          Director General of External Trade at the Trade Ministry Deddy Saleh said the government had actually yet to decide whether or not to import the commodity.          "Based on our estimate, we have to import consumer salt because  stocks will finish at the end of February 2012. Our monthly need for salt reaches 120,000 tons so that we have to import some 600,000 - 700,000 tons," the director general said.          The maritime and fisheries ministry (KKP) and the government have different data on domestic salt  production last year (2011).  KKP said production reached 1.5 million tons while according to the government's data it was only 1.1 million tons.          The arrival of the rainy season in September 2011 disturbed the country's salt production and prevented the government from achieving its target production figure of 1.4 million tons.          Last year, then maritime and fishery minister Fadel Muhammad said  Indonesia's total need for salt reached 3.4 million tons in 2011. The country's total need for salt was formulated by related ministries. The  four related ministries  agreed to set the national need for salt at 3.4 million tons, consisting of 1.6 million tons for consumption and 1.8 tons for industry.          Therefore, last year, the Indonesian government  decided to stop importing consumer salt in order to absorb local farmers' salt production which  was expected to reach 1.4 million tons a year.          "Thank God, we have decided to stop importing consumer salt," then maritime and fisheries affairs minister Fadel Muhammad said after attending a coordination meeting on food affairs at the office of the coordinating minister for economic affairs.          The government made the decision as part of its efforts to solve problems among related ministries regarding the importation of consumer salt. However, salt for industry will remain to be imported.          Now that the consumer salt stocks are not enough, the government is pondering to import the commodity. "The government will  import the commodity, after it is discussed by different parties at the coordinating minister for economic affairs' office,"  Deddy Saleh said on Wednesday.          He noted that salt stocks at present were predicted to be enough for consumption until the end of this month only, so Indonesia is likely to import salt to meet its need through July.          The director general said that if Indonesia needed a stock of 120,000 tons of salt per month, then it should import 600,000 tons of consumer salt for the five-month period.          The estimate is based on survey results of independent surveyor Sucofindo on available stocks at the farmers' level, private businesses and state-owned salt firm PT Garam.          He said that  present salt stocks amounted to 200,000 tons, though about 60,000 tons have been used by the industrial sector. "The salt harvest season in the country will likely begin in August. We are worried that existing stocks will deplete  but we are going to discuss it," the said.          The maritime and fishery ministry  launched a smallholder's salt business empowerment program  (Pugar) this year with a budget amounting to Rp107 billion  and with a production target of 1.3 million tons.          The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) reported  Indonesia¿s salt imports in the January ¿ December 2011 period totalled  2.84 million tons worth US$146.49 million. The commodity was imported from Australia, India, Singapore, Germany and New Zealand.          Regarding the need to import salt regardless of the fact that the government decided  last year to stop importing the commodity, Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said that the grand harvest last year was only enough to meet domestic need until February.          Therefore, the minister said, the government had decided again to import salt to cover the shortage. "From where can we import salt to meet consumers' need from March  until the next grand harvest in August 2012?," the minister asked.          Yet, the marine and fisheries ministry had stuck to  its stance not to recommend the importation of salt until the grand harvest in August.          "We hope we are not going to import consumer salt," Maritime and Fishery Minister Sharif Cicip Sutardjo said on Tuesday. He said that the need for salt this year could still  be met with domestic production. "We have announced that we are going to be self-sufficient in salt this year," he added.          According to the maritime and fishery ministry, the need for salt in 2011 was 2.9 million tons, consisting of 1.1 million tons of consumer salt and 1.8 million tons for industry.          In the meantime, the trade ministry said total need for salt was 3.15 million tons, consisting of 1.38 million tons for consumption and 1.77 million tons for industry. Domestic  salt production last year was 1.4 million tons, all of which was allocated for consumption. ***2*** (T.A014/A/HAJM/00:45/a014) 11-02-2012 00:45:0

RAINY SEASON LIKELY TO AFFECT GOVT'S SALT OUTPUT TARGET

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Nov 3 (ANTARA) - The arrival of the rainy season can disturb the country's salt production and prevent the government from achieving its target to produce some 1.4 million tons of salt this year.          Though the government is still optimistic,  salt farmers have  expressed pessimism about the possibility of achieving the target.          "The target is difficult to achieve because up to October this year production has only reached about 55 percent,"  Chairman the Iodized Salt Producers Association (Aprogakob)  Slamet Untung Irredenta said here on Thursday.          He said that several salt production centers in West Java and Central Java had begun to stop production in line with the arrival of the rainy season. "It is predicted that until the end of the harvest period in mid December 2011 additional production would, at the most, be only 30 percent of the target," he said.          Slamet who is also president director of PT Garam (salt) predicted that salt production throughout Indonesia was only about 1.1 - 1.2 million tons until the end of the harvest seasons in 2011.           The same pessimism is also aired by  Chairman of Salt Farmers Association (Aspag) for Sampang (East Java) branch, Jafar Sodiq.          "West Java has stopped production. Some producers in Central Java have also followed suit while production in East Java has begun to be disturbed by cloudy conditions," he said.          However, the ministry of maritime affairs and fisheries   is still optimistic with the target, which it said was achievable.          Director General of Marine Resources, Coastal Areas and Small Islands of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sudirman Saad said up to November 1, people's salt production in 40 districts /salt producing cities in 10 provinces has reached 881,603 tons.          "This has accounted for more than 60 percent. We are optimistic that up to the end of the harvest seasons, East Java will produce 900,000 tons of salt and West Nusa Tenggara 350,000 tons. It will be added with production from other regions so that the total production would reach 1.4 million tons," Sudirman said.          The government is implementing a salt self-efficiency program  in the 40 districts in 10 provinces in Indonesia. Under the program, the government is intensifying salt production on a total area of 4,365 hectares belonging to farmers and increase salt production from 60 tons to 80 tons per day.          Data at the ministry of maritime affairs and fisheries indicated that the national need for salt in 2011 is set at 2.9 million tons, consisting of 1.l million tons of consumption salt and 1.8 million tons of industrial salt.          Fadel Muhammad when he was still maritime and fisheries minister  recently said  actually Indonesia's total need for salt reached 3.4 million tons this year.          The country's total need for salt was formulated by related ministries. The  four related ministries have agreed to set the national need for salt at 3.4 million tons, consisting of 1.6 million tons for consumption and 1.8 tons for industry.          "The need for 3.4 million tons of salt was agreed by four ministries, namely the trade ministry, the industry ministry, the maritime and fisheries ministry (KKP) and the office of coordinating minister for economic affairs," Fadel Muhammad said.          This data is almost the same as that available at the ministry of industry where the national need for salt in 2011 is set at 3.15 million tons which consist of 1.38 million tons of salt for consumption  and 1.77 million tons of salt for industry.          Up to now, almost all salt for industry need still has to be imported because domestic production is not yet able to meet it.          Some of the salt for consumption is also still imported from other countries because the production of salt farming which according to the ministry of industry covered an area of 25,064 hectares is fluctuating in accordance with the climate conditions.          Data at the Central Board of Statistics (BPS) showed that salt import in the January - September 2011 period totaled 2.33 million tons worth US$122.52 million. Salt is mainly imported from Australia, India, Singapore, Germany and  New Zealand.          Fadel Muhammad when he still led the maritime and fisheries ministry  decided to stop importing salt for consumption. Salt that will be imported is only that for industry.          Because production at home is only about 1.4 million while the need for consumption is 1.6 million tons, the remaining 200 thousand tons could be imported.          Under Fadel's leadership, the ministry of maritime and fisheries affairs was tough on its stand to boost salt production at home and opposed salt importation.          "It is okey to import salt if it is for industrial need and our production is still unable to meet the required standards. But import must be in a limited volume," Fadel said recently.          Fadel's successor, newly named Minister for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries  Sharif Cicip Sutardjo, will resume Fadel's program, particularly the salt-sufficiency program in the 10 provinces.          For this purpose, the maritime affairs and fisheries ministry has allocated funds totaling Rp90 billion to support the program.          Supporting the program is one of the ministry's efforts to increase the domestic salt making industry's ability to meet the domestic need for salt. ***5*** (T.A014/A/HAJM/21:40/H-YH) 03-11-2011 21:39:

RI STOPS IMPORTING CONSUMPTION SALT

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 7 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has decided to stop importing consumption salt in order to absorb local farmers' salt production which  reaches 1.4 million tons a year.          "Thanks God, we have decided to stop importing consumption salt," Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Minister Fadel Muhammad said after attending a coordination meeting on food affairs at the office of the coordinating minister for economic affairs here on Wednesday.          The government made the decision as part of the efforts to solve problems among related ministries regarding the importation of consumption salt. However, salt for industry will remain to be imported.          Indonesia's total need for salt reaches 3.4 million tons this year. The country's total need for salt was formulated by related ministries. Fadel said earlier that four related ministries had agreed to set the national need for salt at 3.4 million tons, consisting of 1.6 million tons for consumption and 1.8 tons for industry.        "The need for 3.4 million tons of salt was agreed by four ministries, namely the trade ministry, the industry ministry, the maritime and fisheries ministry (KKP) and the office of coordinating minister for economic affairs," Fadel Muhammad said on Monday.          He said that the need for 3.4 million tons of salt would be met with domestic production and imports. The imported salt is for industry. Fadel said that the country's salt production in 2011 was estimated at 1.4 million tons so that it was agreed that a total of 2 million tons for industry would imported this year.          "About 200 thousands tons of salt will be imported for consumption and 1.8 million tons of others will be imported for industry," he said.          In the meantime, Coordinating Minster for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa said the government was determined to increase production and become self-reliant in salt production. The government will assist the ministry of maritime and fisheries affairs in increasing the country's salt production.       The ministry of maritime and fisheries affairs has so far been tough on its stand to boost salt production at home. Therefore, Fadel said his side was still prepared and accept the fact that salt still should be imported but the imported salt was really for the need of industry and meet the required standards.          "It is okey to import salt if it is for industrial need and our production is still unable to meet the required standards. But import must be in a limited volume," the maritime and fisheries affairs minister said.           Actually, Fadel is firmly  opposed to the importation of salt for consumption so that it should be stopped.  "I am frontally opposed to the importation of salt and would not be open to any negotiations. I want salt to be produced at home," he said.           Therefore, the minister said  the salt  that already imported should be re-exported so that it would not disturb salt industry at home.           "The best option is to re-export the already imported salt because it is not good to destroy food good," Fadel said. He said that if Indonesia was able to produce salt it should not import it again. As a great nation with long stretches of coastal areas, it is very embarrassing to import salt.          It was earlier reported that the Customs and Excise officials of Belawan port in North Sumatra had confiscated a total of 29,000 tons of salt which were imported by PT Garindo from India. The Customs and Excise office still sealed the commodity following a report by the ministry of maritime and fisheries that the salt was problematic.          "The salt which we have imported is still under the seal of the Customs and Excise office of Belawan. We are still waiting for the decision of the government about what to do with the salt," Susistriono of  PT Garindo told ANTARA in Medan.          Director General for Maritime, Coastal Area and Small Island Affairs Sudirman Saad has regretted the fact that a present salt was still imported in large volumes, which reached some 1.4 million tons per annum.           The need for consumption salt in 2011 is only 1.6 million tons while production at home is 1.4 million tons so that the real need for importation is only 200 thousand tons.           Yet, the government has previously set a quota of salt import at 1.04 million tons in 2011.  "But thanks God, we have decided to stop importing consumption salt," Fadel said after the coordination meeting on Wednesday.          The Maritime and Fisheries Ministry has planned to salt self sufficient in 2014 with initial steps of gradually reducing imported salt to 2.18 million tons in 2010 and 1.02 million tons in 2011.          He said that his ministry had made some efforts to increase the country's salt production such as through the Smallholder's Salt Program. He said that Indonesia needed to follow Brazil which supported the development of its domestic salt industry.***5*** (T.A014/A/H-NG/22:20/a014) 07-09-2011 22:33: