LNP – Salt prices not a matter to be taken with a pinch of salt

Sri Lanka, currently facing a severe salt shortage and salt prices increasing rapidly, 1 kilogram packets of crystal salt reportedly being sold at prices ranging between Rs. 450 and Rs. 500 in some areas are expected to reduce drastically as the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the importation of salt from India, an official said.

Chairman of the National Salt Limited (NSL) Gayan Wellala told the Daily Mirror “The shortage is attributed to the low harvest in salt for the Yala harvest season, we were expecting 35,000 tonnes of salt to be harvested however due to heavy rains in the first two weeks of March the harvest was only 8,000 tonnes.”

Rainfall can significantly impact salt harvest, particularly in sea salt production. Excessive rainfall dilutes brine, hindering salt crystallisation and evaporation processes. This leads to reduced salt yields and potential losses of salt already produced.

Due to only completing 23 per cent of the expected harvest, the decision on importing salt was made, Gayan said. The imports of 30,000 metric tons of non-iodised salt are only to last until June 10, as it is to sustain the market for the backlog of the current harvest, from July onwards, the new Maha harvest will continue to produce salt, the chairman said.

He said that the newly revived Elephant Pass saltern is expected to produce high amounts of salt at 20,000 tonnes per annum and is distributing it to all parts around the country, including the Lanka Salt Limited.

NSL chairman assures that once production of the Maha harvest starts, the country will be able to self-sustain on salt production, and prices will drop significantly next week.