Salt production in Bangladesh hits highest in 63 years

The authorities hope Bangladesh will not need to import salt this year

Salt production in Bangladesh has crossed 2.234 million tonnes, well before the end of the current season, breaking the previous annual record set in the 2022-23 fiscal year.

The Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation or BSCIC hopes the country will not need to import salt this year, Sarwar Hossain, head of the corporation’s salt cell, said on Monday.

The annual demand for salt in Bangladesh is around 2.53 million tonnes, according to him.

The season of collecting salt starts in November and ends in mid-May, so the farmers will be able to collect for some more days.

They produced 2.23 tonnes of salt on 26,880 hectares of land in the core areas of Cox's Bazar and Chattogram's Banshkhali last fiscal year.

The record production has affected the market. The price of salt for industrial use has decreased to Tk 15 from Tk 17 a kg, said Sarwar.

The authorities may also cut edible salt price, which is Tk 42 now, he added.

Bangladesh began planned salt production in 1961. Under the supervision of BSCIC, farmers in all the Upazilas of Cox's Bazar and Banshkhali of Chattogram are getting training, loans and technical support for salt cultivation.