Currently, the industrial salt pilot plant in Gresik has entered its testing phase to see the efficiency and cost.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Coordinating Maritime and Investment Affairs Ministry has boosted the development of an industrial salt pilot plant in Gresik, East Java, to expedite downstreaming of the industry in the marine and fisheries sector.

"The industrial salt pilot plant is developed in cooperation with the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT)," the ministry's Deputy for Maritime Resource, Safri Burhanuddin, noted in a statement here on Friday.

The plant's capacity will be increased to 40 thousand tons annually and will run for 72 hours, according to Burhanuddin.

"We have tested the pilot plant's running, and this design can serve as a model for the other industrial salt production centers," he remarked.

The ministry has cooperated with the BPPT and state-run salt producer PT Garam for development of the pilot plant. BPPT is the designer of the plant, while PT Garam provides the salt and location for the plant.

Some tests conducted for the production of industrial salt comprise the processing of raw salt into industrial salt, with quality levels of K1, K2, and K3 and refinement level up to 99.9 percent.

"Currently, the industrial salt pilot plant in Gresik has entered its testing phase to see the efficiency and cost. We can see whether the efficiency and cost will be higher or lower with the design. If necessary, we will improve the design," he remarked.

The Industry Ministry projects the demand for salt to reach 4.6 million tons in 2021, with some 84 percent to be utilized in the manufacturing industry.

Indonesia continues to depend on imports to fulfill its high demand for salt. The volume of salt imports in 2020 has contributed 50.29 percent to the national supply.

In 2020, the demand for salt had reached 4.46 million tons of which 83.86 percent, or some 3.74 million tons, had been utilized to meet the industry demand.

The pilot plant project is expected to increase the quality of small-scale salt farmers to curb imports. Related news: KKP Minister Trenggono highlights government's decision to import salt
Related news: Govt to use technology to improve salt quality: minister

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