Salt Industry Import Packaged for Consumers, PT Garam Ignore Local Products:https://nusantara.news/garam-industri-impor-dikemas-untuk-konsumen-pt-garam-abaikan-produk-lokal/7 June 2017

Indonesia lacks salt as much as 2 million tons per year. Based on data from the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) in 2016, should be an opportunity by PT Garam as the only state-owned enterprise that regulates the salt trading system to increase production capacity. Especially from the plots of salt farmers' land.

But what happens in the field, imports are often made a choice. As special only for industrial salt needs. Ironically, after coming tonnes, the salt industry only changed packaging to be marketed as consumption salt. This mode is revealed from the raid of PT Garam's warehouse in Gresik by the Police Headquarters. The transfer is done by PT Garam to avoid the 10 percent customs provision imposed on consumption salt, so it is converted into non-taxable industrial salt.

Though this step is counter productive with the government's desire to strengthen food security. For that there needs to be an institution mechanism ready to buy farmers' production. If necessary, the Bulog function is enhanced to secure the national salt stock, so that farmers are no longer playing with low prices during harvest.

Iodine Expensive price, Garut Salt Farmers Complain : http://medan.loveindonesia.com/news/en/news/detail/399153/harga-yodium-mahal-petani-garam-garut-mengeluh/18 April 2014

Farmers' salt in Cikelet, Garut West Java complains. They complained about the high prices of iodine that reach USD 1 million per kilogram (kg). "In fact, iodine was as an extra ingredient that must be present to be mixed with the sea water," said Chairman of Farmers Group Tani Muara Tiga, Jono Sujono to Republika, recently. Currently, as many as 20 people in four villages in the district Cikelet, continue to develop the processing of salt. Four villages were Cekelet Village, Pamalayan, Cijambe, and Cigadog. In the village itself there are four residents Cigadog already started to develop the venture.

Salt processing in the region has been running for the past two years. Initially, the effort was facilitated by Bank Indonesia (BI). Jono said, in the village there is a field of salt, but salt is not any farmer, "he said, based upon the fact that, subsequently tested by the salt farmers of Indramayu is deliberately brought to the Main Page. Apparently, Jono said, the results are even better in Garut, because the levels of salt 5 ppm; while in Indramayu only 3 ppm because it has a lot of contact with the waste.

Chairman of Farmers Group Sawargi, Muldan, also recognizes that the quality levels of salt in the southern ocean, especially Garut region, very nice. Even during the dry season could reach 7 per mile, because it is not mixed with fresh water.

"Now we are still difficulties iodine, must be bought in Bandung. The price of 1 kg of iodine expensive Rp.1 million," complained Muldan. The need for iodine is not too much.

However, according Muldan, iodized salt is a requirement that must be followed if you want to get into the market thereof. To 500 kg of salt, then use only 1 gram of iodine.

For marketing, the salt produced by the farmers still for consumption needs of local residents. They used to use salt for the production of salted fish. "Salt is usually sold at Rp.1, 000 for 1 kg of her," he said.