Indonesia remains heavily dependent on salt imports, as domestic production reaches only around one to two million tons per year and is highly vulnerable to weather anomalies.
This output remains far below the country’s annual demand, which is estimated at between 4.5 million and five million tons. As a result, Indonesia continues to rely on imports of approximately 2.5 million to three million tons, primarily to meet industrial demand that requires high-quality salt.
Salt is not only a household commodity but also a key raw material for a wide range of industries, including food processing, cosmetics, textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and oil drilling.
One of the main factors behind Indonesia’s reliance on imports is the quality of locally produced salt. Most domestic salt contains a maximum sodium chloride content of about 94 percent, while industrial users require a minimum purity level of 97 percent.
Weather conditions also play a critical role, as salt production in Indonesia depends heavily on sunlight for the evaporation process. Prolonged rainfall and shorter dry seasons can significantly disrupt output.
Last year, heavy rainfall combined with a shorter dry season caused salt production to decline by around 50 percent, with output reaching only about one million tons as of December 2, 2025.
Despite these challenges, salt remains an important economic driver in several regions. Data from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) showed that 10 provinces were Indonesia’s main salt producers in 2024.
East Java was the largest producer with 863,332 tons, followed by Central Java with 536,613 tons and West Java with 211,044 tons. West Nusa Tenggara produced 41,866 tons, South Sulawesi recorded 30,099 tons, and East Nusa Tenggara contributed 15,794 tons.
However, total production from these regions remains insufficient to meet national demand. To address this gap, the government is encouraging the development of new production centers while strengthening and modernizing existing salt ponds.
The issuance of Presidential Regulation Number 17 of 2025 on the Acceleration of National Salt Development is expected to support Indonesia’s goal of achieving salt self-sufficiency by 2027.
New Hope from Rote Ndao
One of the flagship projects supporting this target is the development of a national salt industry center in Rote Ndao District, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).
Director General of Marine Management at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Koswara, said construction of new salt ponds and supporting infrastructure has begun and is expected to start production in March 2026.
The government has prepared around 10,000 hectares of land, with a production target of two million tons per year. The area will also be equipped with a purification or washing plant to ensure salt quality meets industrial standards.
Koswara said NTT was selected due to its favorable climate, with six to seven months of dry season annually. Rote Ndao is considered to have geographical characteristics similar to world-class salt production areas such as Dampier in Australia.
In addition to expansion in Rote Ndao, the ministry is also focusing on intensifying existing salt ponds in Indramayu, Cirebon, Pati, and Sabu Raijua.
The intensification program includes pond revitalization, improvements to water channels, construction of storage warehouses, and infrastructure development aimed at increasing productivity.
The ministry is also building storage facilities with capacities ranging from 2,000 to 7,000 tons to ensure proper storage and maintain salt quality produced by local communities.
Water channel improvements are being carried out to address seawater quality issues along the northern coast of Java, where sedimentation often hampers salt production.
Beyond infrastructure development, the ministry has introduced appropriate technologies, including the use of geomembranes to accelerate the evaporation process. This is complemented by the development of seawater reverse osmosis technology (SWRO), which enables the production of high-purity salt (NaCl) directly from seawater.
Through these innovations, the government aims to raise salt purity levels to at least 97 percent sodium chloride, in line with industrial requirements. The technology is also expected to boost pond productivity by up to 30 percent.
Another key initiative is the development of Indonesian National Standards (SNI) for raw salt production using open evaporation methods. These standards regulate multistage sedimentation, land and water management, and standardized harvesting processes.
The introduction of national standards is expected to address inconsistencies in salt quality, as production has traditionally been carried out manually and individually.
By implementing these standards, the government aims to ensure that raw salt consistently meets K1 quality requirements, with a minimum sodium chloride content of 97 percent.
The ministry is also conducting certification programs for salt farmers, including prospective producers in Rote Ndao, to ensure production processes align with industrial standards.
Pursuing Self-Sufficiency
Comprehensive efforts from upstream to downstream are necessary to achieve salt self-sufficiency. In the upstream, for example, farmers must be equipped with training and support to produce quality salt that meets industrial standards.
Production facilities, technology, and extension assistance are key to ensuring that smallholder salt no longer reaches the consumer market but can meet industrial needs with a minimum NaCl content of 97 percent.
Meanwhile, downstream, policies needed include providing incentives for industries to absorb local salt, building refining facilities, and providing large-capacity storage warehouses.
These steps are believed to ensure the maintained quality from smallholders production, in order to have a clear distribution channel to the industrial market.
However, another challenge arises from logistics costs. Salt from eastern Indonesia, such as East Nusa Tenggara, requires higher shipping costs to industrial centers in Java.
Without concrete solutions, industries may continue to choose cheaper and more rational imports. Therefore, the government must provide incentives for industries that absorb domestic salt.
Market certainty will encourage farmers to increase production and improve their welfare. The salt center in Rote Ndao has emerged as a new hope for the national salt industry.
If developed with a modern approach, this area may offer promising results to reduce dependence on imports while achieving economic equality in the villages.
Rote Ndao’s prolonged dry climate and geography, which resemble those of leading salt-producing regions, position it as a key factor for salt self-sufficiency.
However, all of this will be meaningless without comprehensive efforts. Self-sufficiency should not remain an annual slogan.
The 2027 target must be realized through concrete action: strengthening upstream production, improving quality through technology and standards, and ensuring the absorption of smallholder salt by the industry at a fair price.
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Editor: Primayanti
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