Gov’t to Ensure Sufficient Salt Production

President Jokowi, accompanied by Minister of Industry and East Nusa Tenggara Governor, inspects a salt pond in Nungkurus Village, East Kupang Sub-district, East Nusa Tenggara, Wednesday (21/8). (Photo by: Agung/PR)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is determined to ensure sufficient domestic salt production over demand.

“I am here to make sure that salt production program has been started. We know that our salt import is at 3.7 million (metric) tons, while the domestic production is only at 1.1 million tons. There is a disparity,” President Jokowi said after inspecting a salt pond in Nungkurus Village, East Kupang Sub-district, East Nusa Tenggara, Wednesday (21/8).

The President stated that East Nusa Tenggara has potential to become a salt production region, with an area of around 21 thousand hectares. In Kupang, the President added, there are around seven thousand hectares of potential land, but the program has only been initiated at 600 hectares of them. Only 10 hectares of the area has been turned into salt ponds.

President Jokowi went on to say that the salt produced in the village has better quality compared to those of other regions, such as Madura, Surabaya, and even Australia.

“It can be used as an industrial (salt), and with further processing, we can turn it into salt for consumption,” the President explained, adding that the salt industry requires a large investment.

The President expressed his belief that the development of 600 hectares of salt ponds will be completed by next year. “We will also involve small farmers so that they can have a better income,” President Jokowi stated. (HEN/AGG/ES)

Translated by : Fairuzzamani Inayatillah
Edited by : Ridwan Ibadurrohman, Mia M. Bonaedy