Indomie Etc Owned By Anthony Salim Can Be Destroyed Without Imported Salt, PT. Garam's Quality Is Not Yet Capable

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Trade (Mendag) Muhammad Lutfi spoke about the government's plan to import 3 million tons of salt this year. He said, food products in the country, such as instant noodles, require imported salt because the quality is able to maintain the sustainability of these products.

There are many kinds of instant noodle products in Indonesia. One of the biggest is, of course, Indomie, a processed food product from Indofood CBP Sukses Makmur owned by conglomerate Anthony Salim.

Furthermore, Lutfi explained, in instant noodles that cost Rp. 2,500, there is a salt content that affects the noodle product. The cost for the salt is around Rp. 2 per pack.

"However, if the salt is not suitable for the Rp. 2 salt industry, it could destroy instant noodles," he said, in a virtual press conference, Friday, March 19.

Lutfi said the quality of local salt has not been able to meet the qualifications for the needs of the existing industry. Therefore, the government is still planning to import salt for the sustainability of domestic products.

"What we are talking about right now is imported salt for industrial needs, where our salt that is processed by PT. Garam and by the local salt farmers have not been able to match the quality for industrial salt," he explained.

Regarding Indonesia's target to be self-sufficient in 2025, it is still far from expectations. Because, in fact, until now, the government is still importing salt.

Lutfi argued that in order to protect industrial products, it is necessary to import, especially salt from supplying countries. Because the quality of the salt will affect the quality of the product.

However, he said, to achieve Indonesia's target of self-sufficiency in salt in 2024, what needs to be done is not only from sufficient quantities but also needs to improve quality.

"Salt may be the same salt, but the quality is different. Now what we have to do to be self-sufficient is not only the quantity that we have to fulfill but also the quality," he explained.