Government Wants To Import Salt, KPPU: 1.8 Million Tons Of Local Salt Could Not Be Absorbed

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) has highlighted the government's plan to import salt. This is because currently there are still millions of people's salt stocks that have not been absorbed in 2020. If imports are still carried out, there will be 1.8 million tons of local salt not absorbed this year.

As is known, the government decided to import 3.07 tons of salt this year. This figure has increased compared to 2020, which was recorded at 2.7 million tons.

KPPU Deputy for Research and Advocacy, Taufik Ariyanto, explained that the government has determined the need for salt in 2021 as much as 4.6 million tons. Meanwhile, from this need, the government has set the import allocation to reach 3 million tons.

Meanwhile, continued Taufik, the estimated production is 2.1 million tons, plus the stock in 2020 is 1.3 million tons. So that becomes 3.4 million tons. Meanwhile, the local salt market has 1.6 million tons.

"We have calculated that at the end of 2021 there will be 1.8 million tons of unabsorbed salt, especially local salt", he said in a virtual press conference, Tuesday, April 20.

However, said Taufik, the amount not absorbed could change in number. It really depends on the weather. According to him, if the harvest season or April to September is hot, then the product could be high.

"The amount is not absorbed with the assumption that production remains at 2.1 million tons. But if the reverse is true, if during the period from April to September the rainfall is still high, likely, the salt production will not reach 2 million tons. Automatically unabsorbed will be less than 1.8 million tons", he said.

Previously, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Sakti Wahyu Trenggono said that the issue of salt imports had been decided at a meeting of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs some time ago.

"The salt import has been decided at the Coordinating Minister's meeting, through a balance sheet. So based on the balance sheet, how much is the remaining shortfall, it will be imported later. We support it because it is included in the Job Creation Law", said Minister Trenggono in Indramayu, Sunday, March 14.

He is currently still waiting for data related to salt demand in Indonesia because when a shortage is found, it will be imported. The salt import will be carried out according to the balance of domestic salt needs.