PT Garam to improve farm efficiency with technologies, foreign partnerships
reported by: Setiawan Liu
Jakarta, Pebruary 24/Indonesia Media – Indonesian state-owned salt company, PT Garam plans to improve the farm efficiency with modern agricultural mechanization technologies and equipment after consulting with the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT). PT Garam has ever submitted the proposal of industrial salt to the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo and Minister of Fisheries and Marine Affairs (KKP) in order to enhance the growing intensity of salt, and reduce the losses at different stages of salt production.
“We also work together with foreign partners in an effort to improve the technology of salt producing, both on farm and off farm agribusiness. We work together with China, South Korea. All efforts have been made to find solution, to achieve an excellent national salt. It is not only for saltconsumption and industry, but a part of chemical plant. We manage to reduce imported salt, so we can prevent the loss of state income,” said the President Director of Indonesian state-owned salt company PT Garam, Budi Sasongko.
Indonesian domestic salt price drop over the last two years was supposed to motivate the farmers growing with good agricultural practice to get good quality, competing with imported salt. The farmers psychologically still do not lose hope to improve the quality of their salt. “(the moment of) price drop should put (them) to the test, realizing that national salt is not only for consumption. The situation will motivate farmers producingsalt for industry,” said Budi Sasongko.
The farmers in some places including Cirebon (west Java), Pati (Central Java) complained about the price of salt ranging from Rp 300 (21 cents US Dollar) to Rp 600 (42 cents US Dollar) per kilogram. In such a case of rainy season, farmers usually get a little bit more profit. But, in fact the price has not hiked yet. “We realize, that the quality of domestic salt is not similar with the salt imported from Australia. Therefor, what we have to do is such treatment. Importer companies are supposed to use domestic salt with certain percentage for industry. Therefor, industrial salt with sodium chloride (NaCl) content, as required for food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and many other industrial products, can be met,” said Budi Sasongko.
Industrial salt is salt that is used as raw material and auxiliary material for the industry. Industrial salt is usually used for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, textiles, and many more. Industrial salt must have a minimum NaCl requirement of 97%. “Especially for the food industry the levels of Ca and Mg <600 ppm. NaCl (salt) also functions as a regeneration medium for the type of cation resin,” said Budi Sasongko. (sl/IM)
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