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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita stated that 90 percent of the chlor-alkali plant (CAP) industry's salt needs in the country still rely on imports. "This has become a challenge as well as an opportunity for the development of the national salt industry," said Agus in a written statement on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.Agus stated that the need for salt in the CAP industry reaches 2.3 million tons per year. He said the government will strengthen the industrialization of salt to support import substitution and ensure the availability of raw materials for the chemical industry.The Golkar politician said that the Ministry of Industry is committed to enhancing the competitiveness of the national chemical industry, including the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sector, CAP, and its derivative products.Because, according to the Minister of Industry, the chemical industry is a vital and strategic sector because its products are used to meet the needs of other industries. "Therefore, the government continues to make efforts to maintain a conducive business climate, guarantee the supply of raw materials such as industrial salt, and ensure the availability of natural gas energy for this sector."The import of industrial salt was again mentioned by Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan. He confirmed that Indonesia still imports salt for industrial needs. "We no longer import salt for consumption, but we still do for industrial purposes," said Zulkifli Hasan while commemorating the first year of his ministry's performance at Graha Mandiri, Jakarta, on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.However, Zulhas - as he is called - promised that by 2027, the government will stop importing all types of salt if domestic needs are sufficient.Prior to this, the government officially banned the import of salt for various food and pharmaceutical needs starting from January 1, 2025. This regulation is stipulated in Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 126 of 2022 concerning the Acceleration of National Salt Production. Through this regulation, the government closed the import of industrial salt, except for the needs of the chlor-alkali plant (CAP).However, in mid-May 2025, Zulhas said that the government agreed to reopen imports. "Yes, it is allowed now," he said in a press conference after a coordination meeting at his office on Friday, May 16, 2025.According to Zulhas, currently, the domestic capacity of the salt industry cannot yet achieve self-sufficiency. Therefore, self-sufficiency is targeted to be achieved in 2027 through the establishment of factories. This cannot be realized at the moment.The Coordinating Ministry for Food along with related ministries finally agreed to relax imports. "So, it was agreed upon. Because the food and pharmaceutical industries have been clamoring. Infusion uses salt. We can't produce that yet, only by 2027," he said.Han Revanda and Ilona Estherina contributed to the writing of this article.Editor's Choice: Indonesia Aims to Halt Industrial Salt Imports by 2027Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
