"It is time for Indonesia which has the second longest coastline in the world to become a world-class salt producer," the minister said in a press statement released on Friday.
But the fact is that it still relies on imported salt to meet domestic needs, she noted.
Last year, salt demand from households and industries reached 3.6 million tons, of which 2.2 million tons were imported salt, she said.
The government has set itself the target of halving salt imports this year, meaning that national salt output must be able to meet industrial demand for 1,000 tons, she said.
"Admittedly, we need to increase the quantity and quality of our salt production by, among others, applying geoisolator technology capable of increasing productivity to 100 tons per hectare from 60 tons per hectare," she said.
She said the government has set the target of improving smallholder salt production by introducing smallholder salt business development program this year.
Through the program, 30 thousand hectares of land will be made available to produce salt.
The other target is raising the price of smallholder salt and the use of efficient and environmentally friendly technology and developing cluster-based business pattern, she said.
(S012/a014)
Reported by Muhammad Razi Rahman.
Editor: Suryanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
