Industries Need Imported Salt: President Jokowi
President Jokowi delivers his remarks at the opening of Indonesia Industrial Summit 2018 and Launching “Making Indonesia 4.0” at Cendrawasih Hall, Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday (4/4). (Photo by: Rahmat/Public Relations Division of Cabinet Secretariat).
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo explained that the Government has decided to import 3.7 million tons of salt because national industries need industrial salt, which is different from natural salt produced by salt farmers.
The President made the statement to journalists after opening of the 2018 Indonesia Industrial Summit and the Launching of “Making Indonesia 4.0” in Jakarta, Wednesday (4/4).
We have to be realistic. Our industries need salt with a different quality from that produced by farmers. Theyre different, the President said.
President Jokowi explained that imported industrial salt is different from that produced by farmers in terms of quality, segmentation, and market and that industries could stop their operation if the Government does not import industrial salt since salt is a key factor in production process.
Industrial salt is needed to produce glass, cosmetics, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, and many other industrial products, the President added.
Nevertheless, President Jokowi said he has ordered the authorities to keep imported salt from entering the market. The President added that the Government also continues to monitor salt prices in a number of regions across Indonesia including Madura, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province and Aceh province. The price of salt in those places is stable, the President explained.
On a separate occasion, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution stated that salt import is needed because Indonesia is still unable to produce industrial salt with 97.4 % Sodium Chloride (NaCl) content. The Government, he said, has decided to import 3.7 tons of industrial salt per month and will distribute the salt gradually, depending on industrial absorption capacity. (FID/RAH/ES) (RI/EP/Naster)
