REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The government's plan to import 3.7 million tons of salt does not accord with the recommendations issued by the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry. The ministry recommend the government to import 2.1 million tons of salt for the industry and consumption to meet the country's demand.

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said that in a working meeting with Commission IV of the House of Representatives here on Monday.

The government's plan to import 3.7 million tons of salt ignored the recommendations issued by the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, the minister affirmed. "We recommend the import of 2.1 million tons of salt after taking into account local farmers' production," the minister remarked.

If there is an increase in prices of local salt, the minister noted, it will actually benefit local farmers.

The Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister earlier agreed to provide a quota of 3.7 million tons of salt.

Meanwhile, a member of the House of Representatives (DPRs) Commission IV, Andi Pasluddin Akmal, said the government should reduce salt imports that rose this year.

According to Akmal, the government has not made serious efforts to manage the salt sector by upgrading technology and thus meeting the quality requirements expected by consumers.

The politician of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) explained that Australia and India continue to be the key players in the salt import sector.

Based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) in March 2016, Indonesia imported 276,299 tons of salt valued at US$11.4 million. Countries that exported salt to Indonesia included Australia, India, New Zealand, Britain and Singapore.

In 2017, he added, China too became a significant player, exporting salt to Indonesia. It sold 1.4 million tons of salt worth US$57.3 million, making it the fourth largest salt supplier to Indonesia after Australia, India and New Zealand.

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