INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - Domestic salt stocks in recent weeks are running low. The Indonesian Salt Users Industry Association (AIPGI) said the high demand could not be offset by domestic production. While the total demand for salt, both for consumption and industry continues to increase.

Currently, the need for salt as a raw material for industry can not be fulfilled, this of course affects the food and beverage industry sector of the country.

Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto said salt scarcity that occurred lately can disrupt the industrial activities.

"The scarcity of salt is the same as the scarcity of raw materials, so if the scarcity of raw materials will undermine the industry, because our industry is a value-added concept, so if for example the salt industry becomes a high value-added glass," Airlangga said after receiving the US-ASEAN Business Council Delegation In Kemenperin Office, Thursday (3/8/2017).

Airlangga explained, in terms of industry, the Industrial Act says if a company to invest then the availability of raw materials must exist.

"So there should be no disruption to raw materials, the main problem that now occurs is (salt) for the food processing industry is a small industries," said Minister of Industry.

According to the salt harvest Minister of industry disrupted by climate lately causes the difficulty of industry players to get salt as industrial raw materials.

"As yesterday's salt harvest is disturbed by the climate, they also have difficulty getting raw materials including the salted fish processing industry, such things are being resolved by the Minister of Trade and Minister of KKP and the Minister of SOEs," he said.

In relation to the two companies that will invest in the hampered salt industry, Airlangga said, there should be land acquisition with the local government.
 
"First, if the industry should be able to clear the land, if the land is not released, the industry will not be built, the solution must be land acquisition with the local government there, so it depends on the approach, if seriously there is an investment," Airlangga concluded.