Kingdom’s 2021 Salt Production Will Meet Domestic Demand

Kingdom’s 2021 Salt Production Will Meet Domestic Demand

Domestic salt production can supply domestic demand this year, relieving Cambodia of the need to engage in imports according to Kampot province’s department of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation.

Department director Sok Kim Choeun said on Sunday that salt production in the province, which is a leading salt producer in Cambodia, saw a decrease compared to its 2020 yield due to unfavourable weather at the beginning of the harvest.

As of July 2021, salt production in Kampot province stood at 68,682 tonnes, down from last year’s 85,000 tonnes.

There is a sufficient salt in inventory though (about 37,000 tonnes) to supply domestic demand for the remaining months of this year, he said.

Kim Choeun added that the remaining salt is not only enough for the domestic market this year, but some may hold over for next year.

“The [inventoried] salt may remain in supply over the next four months, in time for the next harvest,” he noted.

Kampot province’s salt fields comprise 3,700 hectares. Last year’s yield was harvested from only 2,857 hectares.

According to the Salt Producers Community of Kampot-Kep, Cambodia needs an average of between 80,000 to 100,000 tonnes per year to supply the domestic market.

Cambodia has also imported salt from abroad previously. Those imports were mostly used in the industrial sector for washing clothes and making ice.

In 2019, some salt farmers dropped production in favour of selling their salt fields which pushed production lower. That resulted in imports of about 30,000 tonnes being needed to bridge the ensuing demand gap.

Salt is currently priced at 10,000 riels ($2.5) to 12,000 riels ($3) per 50kg sack.

Khmer Times