Salt Price Soar, Farmers Hope Government Not Do This

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has called on his cabinet ministers to overcome the soaring salt prices that burden the public, including salted fish entrepreneurs.

"In connection with salt-related issues, I will later check directly with several ministers, including the minister of state enterprises," the president remarked after opening the inflation control 2017 coordination meeting here on Thursday (27/7).

President Jokowi said he and several ministers will check the soaring salt prices to gain better clarity on the problem at hand.

"If there is a problem in supply and distribution, we will overcome it," the president remarked, adding that during a coordination meeting with governors, regional heads, and mayors, issues related to salt prices were raised.

Previously, impact of rising salt prices alone triggered a plan discourse on salt imports. Of course, salt farmers hope the government does not do that because salt harvest time is just waiting for the day.

Chairman of the Society of Salt Growers (HMPG), Muhammad Hasan said, the decision to import is not a solution in the scarcity of salt on the market today. The government, he said, could expect a big salt harvest to be held in late July or early this August.

"Hopefully, August and September climate will support, so production can be normal again to meet the needs in the market," said Hasan, Monday (24/7).

He continued, high price of consumption salt on the market can indeed be a blessing for the farmers in 12 areas in East Java which became the center of salt production.

Unpredictable weather conditions followed by expensive salt prices as they are today allow farmers to harvest faster.

"In addition to climate factors, they are pursuing high prices to increase profits," he said.

If salt harvest usually takes place every ten days, now within a few days the salt has been harvested. It took place almost in 12 cities and districts producing salt centers in East Java.

"The high price also can not be separated from the supply and demand of the market," he said.

Properly, when stocks of salt raw materials overflow, prices will slowly fall. Because, this July has entered the harvest season. The peak of the harvest is expected to take place in September.

"We are optimistic with the application of geoisolators throughout the center of salt, salt production this year increased," he said.

National salt production in 2017 is projected at 2.5 million tons. Meanwhile, East Java's contribution is estimated to reach 1 million tons. PT Garam alone manages 5,000 hectares of salt land scattered in Madura.

Due to low productivity, the price of raw materials of salt soared. It used to cost around Rp500-Rp600 per kg, now rising almost six-fold at a price of Rp3,000 per kg. While the price of salt consumption also jumped from about Rp3.800 per kg last year to Rp5.000 per kg translucent.

Appropriate estimates of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), climatic conditions in July still tend to be wet. Thus, salt production can not be maximized this month.

"Our hope, August-September climate is supportive so that production can be normal again," he said.

Sutrisno, one of the salt farmers in Romokalisari said, now it is a good time to get high profits. But the climate is still a major obstacle in increasing salt production.

"If only the climate is good could be doubled in production, this is now less hot, so production is a bit choked up," he explained.