"We see the importance of forming an organization that would handle salt trade regulations. For this we need a National Salt Council," Kadin Chairman for human resources, Utama Kayo said in a discussion on salt here on Friday.
Utama Kayo said that the establishment of the council for salt was important as a number of other commodities already had councils such as the National Sugar Council and the National Tea Council.
The presence of a national salt council would serve as an organization for those who understand salt affairs so that the council could provide solutions to the problem of salt in the country.
For this purpose, he said, noted figure who could be proposed to reinforce the council is the former marine resources and fisheries minister Fadel Muhammad.
Fadel now is chairman of the People`s Salt Empowerment Foundation.
He also proposed that PT Garam as the only state company in the salt sector should focus on one aspect only namely whether to focus on salt production or on salt marketing.
On the occasion, Fadel expressed disappointment over the country`s salt production in 2010 which was 30,000 tons, which were quite small if compared with the width of salt farms.
"The people`s salt farm land covers 21,876 hectares in 40 districts," he said.
Fadel also expressed concern over the large volume of salt import which in 2011 reached 7 million tons.
(Uu.A014/HAJM)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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