Indonesia is racing to achieve salt self-sufficiency by 2027, courting private investors to develop a national salt industry hub in Rote Ndao, East Nusa Tenggara, to lift output and curb imports.
The Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry said state funding can cover only two of 10 planned production zones, leaving the remaining eight to be developed by private investors to speed up infrastructure construction, processing facilities and technology deployment.
"Developing Rote cannot rely solely on government funds. Our budget can only support two zones, while the remaining eight must be developed by investors,” said Frista Yorhanita, director of marine resources at the Directorate General of Marine Management.
She said private participation is vital to expand production capacity and meet rising domestic demand, including about five million tons of industrial salt annually, which cannot be supplied by a single state-owned producer.
Rote was selected for its long dry season and favorable seawater quality, with development potential across 10,000 to 13,000 hectares designed as a large-scale industrial salt production center.
The initial phase will focus on priority zones before opening wider investment, targeting productivity of 200 tons per hectare to strengthen national supply.
At full development, the hub is projected to produce hundreds of thousands of tons of salt annually, reducing import dependence and stabilizing domestic supply chains.
The ministry said integrating advanced production technology and strong collaboration among government, state firms, businesses, and private investors will be key to achieving the 2027 self-sufficiency target while boosting local economic growth and community welfare.
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Translator: Muhammad Harianto, Martha Herlinawati Simanjuntak
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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