Salt production hits record high

The crude salt production in the country has hit a record 1,839,000 tonnes this season, the highest in 62 years.
The figure is 7,000 tonnes higher than in the previous season.
According to sources, the surge in salt production was possible due to several special initiatives taken by the government.
The numbers of salt producers and fields have increased this season in comparison with the previous year, Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) said in a statement on Wednesday.
The salt cultivators are using 66,424 acres of land this year. Earlier, they used 63,291 acres of land for salt cultivation. The number of salt cultivators increased to 39,467 this year from 37,231 last year.
BSCIC has been playing a pivotal role for increasing salt cultivation in the country following the National Salt Policy 2022. Domestic salt cultivation began in a planned way in 1962 through the state-run agency.
At present, salt cultivators of all upazilas of Cox's Bazar and Chattogram's Bashkhali upazila were provided required supports including training, loan facility and so on under a programme undertaken by BSCIC through 12 salt centres in the regions.
Salt production season in the country lasts between November and May.
In a bid to increase local production, the BSCIC advised the salt farmers to begin working in late October for the ongoing season.
BSCIC has undertaken short-term strategies for one year, mid-term for up to five years and long-term for over five years for the acceleration of local crude salt production.
BSCIC took different initiatives including motivating the farmers for advanced cultivation, identification of new areas and expansion, providing the farmers with low-cost credit.
It also provides technical support, consultancy, conducting surveys, and monitoring of salt production, stock and pricing, BSCIC said.
However, the record production in the last year hardly helped lower the price at retail level.
According to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), refined salts from different brands were selling between Tk 38 and Tk 40 per kg on Wednesday which was around 20 per cent higher than that of a year ago.
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