Spurious salt using names of reputed brands on sale

Ismail Hossain Salt manufacturers alleged that sale of counterfeit salt using the names of reputed brands has threatened Tk 8 billion local market. Recently, some industrial salt manufacturers submitted an application to the Tariff Commission to take necessary steps to contain the sales of counterfeit salt. They said if selling of spurious salt is not stopped their business would be seriously affected. On a visit to different city markets Sunday, it was found that the shopkeepers are keeping the counterfeit salts inscribed on the packets the name of reputed companies including Confidence, Molla, ACI etc for high profit. The customers buy those at relatively low price. Admitting the allegation, an official of Bangladesh Tariff Commission said they also found counterfeit salts in the market. They will soon conduct drive to contain sales of fake branded salts. "We have sent letters to the counterfeit salt manufacturers' addresses as mentioned on the packets to stop production of spurious salts," said Research Officer of Tariff Commission Mahmudul Hasan. During visits to the market it was seen that counterfeit packed salts are sold at Tk 5-7 less than the price of original packet. An industry insider said edible salt is produced in two ways- vacuum evaporated process and mechanical wash process. "Salt processed by vacuum evaporated can be sold at Tk 25 per kg maximum while mechanical washed salt can be sold at Tk 13 per kg maximum," he said. The reputed companies inscribe 'vacuum evaporated processed' salt on the packets. But many packets of the branded salt were found in the market without any inscription.. Industry insiders said those who imported salt during July to December last year are now marketing spurious salt. Currently, 1.5 million tonnes of salts are used as edible salt which is 75 per cent of the total production in the country.