Government To Cut Industrial Salt Imports By 2025

Government To Cut Industrial Salt Imports By 2025

Tuesday, 10 Dec 2024

The government plans to reduce the import quotas for industrial salt and industrial corn in 2025 as part of Indonesia's efforts to achieve food self-sufficiency. Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan, also known as Zulhas, announced that the import quota for industrial salt will be cut to 1.7 million tons from a demand of 2.5 million tons.

"The demand was 2.5 million tons for industrial salt, but we will allocate 1.7 million tons," Zulhas stated following a food commodity balance meeting at the Food Coordinating Ministry office, Graha Mandiri, in Central Jakarta on Monday, December 9, 2024. "The remaining amount will require the industry to process the salt domestically for industrial use. We will strive hard this year to ensure that industrial salt is also produced locally," he added.

In addition, the government has reduced the import quota for industrial corn to 900,000 tons from a demand of 1.7 million tons.

"It should have been 1.7 million tons, but we have decided on 900,000 tons. For the shortfall of 800,000 tons, we will work on training our farmers to meet the required quality standards. The corn itself remains the same," Zulhas explained.

On another note, Zulhas indicated that the government will not import four commodities in 2025: consumption rice, consumption sugar, consumption salt, and corn for animal feed. "Thus, we will not import corn for feed or salt for consumption."

The government has announced that there will be no sugar imports for consumption. "Isn't that impressive? We will also not import rice for consumption," stated Zulhas. Regarding rice, he mentioned that the production target for 2025 is set at 32 million tons, while the estimated demand is around 31 million tons. Additionally, the government aims to produce 2.6 million tons of sugar for consumption next year. "In 2024, our sugar production will increase by 200,000 tons, rising from 2.2 million to 2.4 million tons. Next year, we anticipate reaching 2.6 million tons."

Zulhas emphasized that production will continue to be enhanced through the development of new seeds, improved sugar plantation management, and collaboration with small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Furthermore, the government projects that the production of consumption salt will reach 2.25 million tons by 2025. "The demand is 1.763 million tons, indicating a surplus," Zulhas added.

Lastly, the government forecasts that the production of corn for animal feed will reach 16.683 million tons next year. "The demand for corn is 13 million tons, which allows for potential exports," Zulhas noted. He stated that these decisions align with President Prabowo Subianto's directive to achieve food self-sufficiency within the next three to four years. (deriz@insightinnews.com)

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