Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 14

Editorial

We at The Indian Salt Manufacturers' Association thought that the Journal is due for a new look and content. Salt is a

serious matter, though many both inside and outside the Salt industry may think otherwise. Hence, we thought: no more

jokes and no more heavenly matters - just everything related to Salt.

The important event that is coming up is the India-International Salt Summit planned for January 2010 at Ahmedabad.

A band of dedicated salt producers and representatives of Alkali Manufacturers are working hard to make the Summit

happen. Invitations have gone out and there is some good response from abroad. Those of us who were at Beijing for the

September 2009 Salt Symposium know that we may not match their pomp and show; but we are sure to make the Summit a

satisfactory event; knowledge-wise, that is.

We also want to make the journal more informative and inform the readers about Salt industry in other countries,

starting with this issue

To make the journal meaningful and informative, we need contributions from Salt technologists, refined Salt producers,

Consultants, government officers and even household consumers. We will gratefully acknowledge such contributions.

-ISMA, Mumbai

Contents
• An Update on Salt Industry in India

• Salt Production in India: Farming or Industry?

• Orissa to issue I-cards to coir and Salt workers

• Our need for Salt

• Low Salt Diet a Danger for Elderly, Says Salt Manufacturers' Association, UK

• New ESCO Product Balancer Salt

• News about Salt in China

• Salt consumption per capita (tons per person) in 17 of the 20 most populous countries in the world

• Salt Quiz: True or False?

• Salt Industry in Haiti

An Update on Salt Industry in India


Top

India is a traditional salt producer from historical times. Salt is produced along the coast in the States of Gujarat,

Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal by solar evaporation of sea brine or a

combination of sea brine and sub-soil brine. Salt is also produced from the sub-soil brines in the Little and Greater Rann of

Gujarat and the arid desert lands in Rajasthan. Sambhar Lake is the lone source of lake brine in India. Similarly, the Salt

mine at Mandi in Himachal Pradesh is exploited by Hindustan Salts Ltd., a Government of India Enterprise.

With just about 1.93 million tonnes of Salt in 1947, production of Salt in India has increased over the years to touch a

record figure of 18.97 million tons in 2005-06. About 75% of India's total production comes from the marine Salt works and

25% from Inland Salt sources (including Lake Salt and Rock Salt).
Gujarat State continues to contribute over 75% of the Salt produced in India. Tamil Nadu (12%) and Rajasthan (7-8%)

are the two other major Salt producing states. A major part of the Salt industry is in the private and cooperative sectors.

There are only 7 Public/Joint Sector undertakings engaged in the production of Salt. The total production of these seven

units averages at about 500,000 tons per year.

The following Table gives the figures of state-wise production of Salt in the country during the years 2005-06 to 2007-08.

Year 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

Andhra Pradesh 427.9 318.1 320.2

Gujarat 14,691.9 13,723.2 12,765.2

Goa 2.8 2.5 3.0

Karnataka 18.2 18.6 22.6

Maharashtra 192.2 187.7 240.2

Orissa 53.5 23.8 28.7

Rajasthan 1,375.5 1,560.1 2,530.4

Tamil Nadu 2,186.2 2,049.8 1,917.8

West Bengal 18.5 12.5 15.6

Diu and Daman 0.4 0.3 0.3

Himachal Pradesh 1.9 1.6 1.2

Total 18,969.0 17,898.2 17,845.2


(Source: Annual Report, 2007-08, Salt Commissioner, Government of India, Jaipur)(Figures in '000 tons)
Domestic consumption includes about 5 million tonnes for human consumption and 9 million tonnes for industrial use;

the latter mainly by the Caustic Soda and Soda Ash units. The country has been exporting Salt to Japan, Vietnam, Kenya,

Indonesia and the UAE for industrial use and a small quantity to Nepal, Sri Lanka etc., for human consumption in the form of

iodised salt and refined Salt.

The production of salt in the country is expected to touch 25 million tonnes once the large-scale export-oriented units

set up in Gujarat go into full production.

Salt Exports

Statement showing Exports of salt from India


Quantity exported ('000 tons)
Country
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

Bangladesh 193.6 112.9 15.7

China 1259.1 62.4 ...

France 43.4 0.2 ...

Indonesia ... 67.2 53.2

Japan 742.8 1015.6 1222.9

Korea 35.1 0.3 ...

Kuwait 1.6 17.2 4.1

Liberia 1.8 1.5 3.9

Malaysia 43.4 59.3 30.4


Maldives 2.9 3.3 2.6

Mauritius ... 1.3 1.1

New Guinea 3.5 4.2 0.8

Qatar 76.7 44.4 16.4

Singapore 1.4 0.3 0.2

Sri Lanka 3.7 7.9 20.5

Thailand 3.0 2.1 0.1

UAE 275.2 62.4 43.8

Vietnam 144.6 199.8 232.9

South Africa 2.3 ... ...

Kenya ... ... 107.6

Saudi Arabia 0.1 5.3 ...

North Korea 15.5 22.1 ...

UK ... 24.8 ...

Total 2,849.7 1,714.5 1,756.2

Other countries* 1.9 3.8 4.4

Total by Sea 2,851.6 1,718.3 1,760.6

Nepal 111.9 170.1 125.6

Bangladesh 8.0 4.5 4.8

Bhutan 4.9 4.9 2.4

Total 124.8 179.5 132.8

Total Exports 2,976.4 1,897.8 1,893.4


(Source: Annual Report, 2007-08, Salt Commissioner, Government of India, Jaipur)
(*) Countries to which exports were less than 1,000 tons each

Refineries and Vacuum salt Plants (As on 31 March 2008)


Production of refined Salt & vacuum Salt (in '000
No. of tons)
State Capacity
plants
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08
Gujarat 25 * 3,301.0 1,392.6 1490.8 1668.2

Rajasthan 4 262.0 63.8 131.9 109.3

Tamilnadu 21 793.0 189.7 230.6 261.0

Uttar
1 1.0 ... ... ...
Pradesh

Pondicherry 1 35.0 ... ... ...

Total 52 4,392.0 1,646.1 1853.3 2038.5


(Source: Annual Report, 2007-08, salt Commissioner, Government of India, Jaipur)
(*) Includes two vacuum Salt plants at Mithapur & Bhavnagar

salt Production in India: Farming or Industry?


Top

There is still a lot of ambiguity about production of Salt in India. Is it an Industry? Or is it akin to farming? Does salt

production by solar evaporation amounts to mining and Salt a mineral? salt being a Central subject, at the Central level

"Salt" was once under the Ministry of Agriculture, although for a long time now it is tagged on to the Ministry of Commerce

and Industry. Under the circumstances, the following article by Aparna Pallavi in Dow to Earth makes an interesting reading.

Salt farmers
(By Aparna Pallavi , 30 August 2008 in Down to Earth (Available at http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/node/263727)

"While the Andhra Pradesh government is yet to recognize Salt makers as farmers, two recent government orders

mention 'salt making' as 'farming' and the 'Salt produced' as 'crop'. This has exulted Salt farmers in Andhra Pradesh's

Prakasam district."

"This is an important first step towards the official recognition that we demanded," says the Prakasam District Salt

Farmers' Forum (PDSFF). One of the government orders, issued on May 9, 2008, declares Rs 600 per acre (0.4 ha) as

compensation for "damage to Salt crop and Salt lands" due to heavy rains in February 2008. Though the compensation
amount is small compared to the damage, PDSFF says, this is for the first time words like "crop" and "farmers" have been

used in the context of Salt farmers in an official document.

The second government order, dated June 6, 2008, offers a more definite triumph. It expressly orders the state

electricity department to consider small and marginal Salt farming at par with corporate farming in terms of tariff and provide

them the requisite subsidy in electricity charges. This means, if the order is implemented, Salt farmers in Andhra Pradesh

will pay just 90 paise per unit of electricity as opposed to Rs 3.75 per unit, which is at par with small industrial units.

Benefits of the orders are, however, yet to reach the Salt farmers. The compensation amount released by the

government is yet to reach mandala offices. The electricity department has written back to the government seeking

clarifications on.

"The recognition of Salt-making activity as 'farming' will enable small Salt farmers to claim facilities like free electricity,

crop loans, crop insurance and compensation which the government extends to the agriculture sector," says convener of

PDSFF, R Pothuraju".

Orissa to issue I-cards to coir and Salt workers


Top

(Business Standard Reporter / Kolkata/ Bhubaneswar, September 07, 2009)

The Orissa government plans to issue identity cards to the artisans in the coir sector and the Salt workers. A similar

process is currently on for the handicraft artisans.

Since there are a number of schemes being implemented by the government of India targeting the artisans and the

Salt workers, the issue of identity cards will help them to avail the benefits. "The benefits of various schemes can reach the

intended beneficiary if he is correctly identified", a senior official of the state industry department said. Sources said, the

actual artisans in the coir sector and the Salt workers can benefit from schemes like Namak Majdoor Awas Yojana (NMAY),

Rajiv Gandhi Swastha Vima Yojana (RGSVY) and Janashree Bima Yojana (JBY).

The NMAY envisages construction of 234 houses in Ganjam and 12 houses in Balasore. Besides, the handicraft

artisans are being covered under Janashree Bima Yojana (JBY) and Rajiv Gandhi Swastha Vima Yojana (RGSVY).

Under JBY, out of the annual premium of Rs 200, a sum of Rs 60 is contributed by the Development Commissioner

(Handicrafts), New Delhi, Rs 100 by the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and the remaining Rs 40 by the artisan being

covered. However, only 11,673 artisans have availed the benefit under the scheme.The state government has also decided

to launch a special drive to issue credit cards to more artisans in the handicraft sector. About 6840 cards were issued in the

state to handicraft artisans during the last fiscal.

ISMA's comment: Perhaps the Government of Gujarat and other Salt-producing States could take a leaf out of

Orissa's scheme in as much as the identification of Salt workers becomes important for passing on the benefits of

Government's schemes.

Our need for Salt


Top
Like all animals, human beings have a physiological need for Salt. Its main components are chlorine and sodium,

which are vital to the human organism as they favour exchanges between cells and extra-cellular spaces, help to distribute

water through the body and regulate blood pressure and volume.

Sodium helps to convey sensory impulses, balance water levels in the organism, and maintain arterial pressure and

blood balance. In addition, the salty taste and chlorine stimulate and trigger the production of saliva and gastric juices, which

are vital to good digestion.

In other words, the body needs Salt. Minimum daily need is estimated at around 2 grams per person. Man is at greater

risk of dehydration through lack of Salt than through lack of water. On the other hand, over-consumption of sodium chloride

also has its risks: high arterial blood pressure, heart disease, water retention, etc., not to mention a loss of taste. Hence the

need to eat food with a "normal", and not excessive, amount of Salt. The WHO recommends that we should not consume

more than 6 grams of Salt per day. Quantity is a question of common sense: used in reasonable quantities, Salt adds taste

and therefore pleasure.

Without Comment
Top

Low Salt Diet a Danger for Elderly, Says Salt Manufacturers' Association, UK (21 September 2004).A low Salt diet can

be extremely dangerous for elderly people, according to research by Professor Ingo F'sgen from the Department of

Geriatrics at the University of Witten-Herdecke in Germany. His conclusion supports claims made by the Salt Manufacturers'

Association, in response to a campaign by the Food Standards Agency.

Professor F'sgen presented his findings at the European Geriatrics Congress in Vienna, which ended yesterday

(September 19). They show that the symptoms of hyponatraemia (low sodium level in the blood), which are tiredness,

difficulty in concentrating and loss of balance, can develop into confusion and even coma if left untreated.

His studies show that up to 10 per cent of older people suffer from sub-acute sodium deficiency, which can result in

problems such as nervous disposition, hallucinations, muscle cramps and incontinence. Professor F'sgen explained;

"Sodium deficiency is common for elderly people but it is often not recognized. Many older people are not aware of the

danger of a low Salt diet and try to reduce their consumption of Salt because they assume it is healthy to do so."

According to a survey conducted by Professor F'sgen, as part of his research, 80 per cent of elderly people try to

consume Salt sparingly, thinking that too much Salt causes high blood pressure. Professor F'sgen maintains that a low Salt

diet is not appropriate for the majority of elderly people.

"We said earlier this week that In the case of the elderly, cutting Salt might be dangerous, especially in the summer

months. Because they tend to drink less and are less acclimatised to hot weather, Salt lost through sweat is not replaced.

Their blood pressure rises, so putting added strain on their hearts," says the SMA's general secretary, Peter Sherratt. "We

remain convinced that the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are ignoring inconvenient evidence

in pursuit of a campaign that unfairly targets one of life's essentials. "They are ignoring the need for more conclusive
research and failing to make a proper assessment of the risks it could pose to some population groups."(Article URL:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/13793.php)

New ESCO Product Balancer Salt


Top

Europe's major Salt producer ESCO - European Salt Company has launched a new product: BALANCER Salt

complements the product range of food-grade and table salts of the market leader from Hanover, Germany, thus combining

the expertise of K+S Group in Salt, potash and mineral products.

BALANCER Salt consists of 50 per cent sodium chloride; the other half being combinations of the essential minerals

potash, calcium and magnesium.

"We have great hopes of our new product because it has achieved top voting in numerous blind tests. First reactions

from industry and retail trade have been very promising," reports Marlies Heinricher-Woltran, esco Product Manager.

Also in packaging design esco is trying out new avenues. BALANCER Salt for end consumers comes in a high-quality

300 grams shaker, while the food industry and manufacturers are supplied with 25 kg bags. The market for sodium-reduced

products is still rather small and took shape only in the past few years, starting in Great Britain and the Nordic countries.

More and more countries are now elaborating dietetics programs following the objective to reduce the overall daily Salt

intake. This is because of the assumption that people are consuming too much sodium in general, which has never been

proved by research. BALANCER Salt addresses all health-conscious consumers who want to cut down their daily intake of

salt. (Available at http://www.esco-salt.com/en/presse/press_0020.html)

News about Salt in China


Top

China Denies Rumours of Salt Shortages, Price Hikes(Xinhua News Agency, 24 June 2009)

Chinese officials and Salt producers have denied rumours of Salt price hikes, which led to panic buying in parts of the

country. A notice released Wednesday on the website of the China National Salt Industry Corp. (CNSIC), a state-owned

firm, said that local governments had been told to ensure the production and distribution of Salt and keep close watch on

unauthorized price hikes.

The notice was issued Tuesday by the National Development Reform Commission, the national economic planning

agency. Prices of some necessities like Salt are controlled by the government and retailers need authorization to raise

prices. Mao Qingguo, general manager of CNSIC, told China Central Television Tuesday that China had more than enough

Salt to meet demand, so price hikes were not likely. Panic buying has been reported in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, with

retailers allegedly hiking prices several times and supplies selling out. The rumours of shortages apparently arose when a

Salt company in Zhejiang Province closed for two days. China's Salt output was about 68 million tonnes last year, up 7

percent from 2007, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.(Available at

http://english.cri.cn/6909/2009/06/24/1781s496289.htm)
Salt consumption per capita (tons per person) in 17 of the 20 most populous countries in
the world
Top

Country 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995

China 0.019 0.032 0.017 0.013 0.017 0.024

India 0.010 0.010 0.011 0.013 0.011 0.011

USA 0.221 0.183 0.183 0.175 0.162 0.184

Indonesia 0.001 0.002 0.008 0.004 0.005 0.006

Brazil 0.020 0.020 0.031 0.021 0.033 0.049

Russia 0.050 0.053 0.054 0.057 0.049 0.028

Pakistan 0.004 0.005 0.007 0.007 0.006 0.008

Bangladesh ... ... ... ... 0.004 0.003

Japan 0.071 0.066 0.073 0.066 0.075 0.076

Mexico 0.016 0.030 0.020 0.024 0.024 0.017

Germany 0.151 0.137 0.166 0.185 0.232 0.141

Philippines 0.005 0.006 0.008 0.009 0.009 0.010

Iran 0.013 0.020 0.015 0.015 0.014 0.014

Egypt 0.010 0.016 0.014 0.021 0.029 0.023

Turkey 0.017 0.002 0.014 0.021 0.029 0.023

Thailand 0.002 0.001 0.001 0.002 0.003 0.007

UK 0.154 0.128 0.128 0.126 0.111 0.112

France 0.107 0.103 0.132 0.118 0.103 0.100

(Source: Some Implications of Changing Patterns of Mineral Consumption by W. David Menzie, John H. DeYoung, Jr., and

Walter G. Steblez, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192 (U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-382,

Online Only, Version 1.0) (Available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-382/of03-382.html)

Salt Quiz: True or False?


Top
Just because you are in the Salt business (producing and/or selling) do you think you know all about Salt? Try to

answer the following questions with a "tick" in the square. Detailed answers will be given in the next issue. No prizes for the

time being; may be later. Incidentally, the quiz is not ISMA's own. We have lifted the material from a website and we are not

going to tell our readers as to from where we have done so. We will surely acknowledge the source in the next issue.

1. Salt makes you fat

True False

2. There's no life without Salt

True False

3. Salt needs vary from one person to another

True False

4. Salt contains calories

True False

5. Most of the Salt that we consume comes from salting our food at the table

True False

6. Salt is excellent for certain skin diseases

True False

7. Water helps us slim and Salt retains water

True False

8. Refined Salt is harmful

True False

9. "Complete" Salt doesn't exist

True False

10. Salt is a real flavour enhancer

True False

Salt Industry in Haiti


Top
Republic of Haiti(Area: 27,750 sq km) is a part of the Island of Hispaniola along with the Dominican Republic, in the

Caribbean, off the Florida coast of the USA. The capital city of Port au Prince could be reached by air from New York or

Miami/Fort Lauderdale.

The country's population was estimated at 8.5 million (July 2007), of whom 2.5 million live in the Capital City. The only

other major city is Cap Haitien (pop: 800,000)

Most Haitians (95%) are of African descent; rest 5% being Euro-African. While the mother tongue of the Haitians is

Creole, the official languages are both French and Creole. 80% Haitians are Roman Catholic and the remaining 20% belong

to different sects of Christianity. According to 2002 estimates, the annual growth rate of population is about 1.42%. The life

expectancy is 50.8 years for males and 52.4 years for females. Adult literacy is about 53.8% for men and 50% for women,

although there is regional variation in literacy. About 10% of the Haitians speak French and English is being increasingly

spoken by the younger generation and in the business sector. Gourde is the currency (39 Gourdes being equivalent to one

US Dollar).

The country's natural resources include Bauxite, Copper, Calcium Carbonate, Gold, and Marble. Haiti's industries

include apparel, handicrafts, electronics assembly, food processing, beverages, tobacco products, furniture, printing,

chemicals, and steel. 27% of the country's GDP is attributed to agriculture, followed by industry (14%); services (52%) and

indirect and import taxes (7%). The industrial sector is poorly developed due to a number of factor. Frequent storms have

wrought havoc with agriculture. According to World Bank's reports, Haiti continues to be the poorest country in the Western

Hemisphere despite recent improvements in some areas. There is large-scale emigration of Haitians, mainly to the United

States but also to Canada, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, and other Caribbean neighbours. It is estimated that

about 1 in every 6 Haitians live abroad.

Every cell of your body contains Salt - an adult human body contains about 250 grams to maintain the normal volume of
blood and digest food.

Salt production in Haiti


Based on the estimated average daily consumption of 10 grams the annual requirements of Salt of Haiti for human

consumption are estimated at about 46,500 tons, including Salt loss due to house-hold-level washing. There are no Salt-

based industries in Haiti.

Haiti is a Salt producing country. Salt is produced using sea brine and the main Salt production period lasts from

January and lasts up to April, and again from June to September. A 1995 survey by the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, WHO

and PAHO found that there were 586 Salt producers in Haiti together producing 130,000 tons of Salt per year. But, there is

no systematic way of collection of data on any aspect of the Salt industry, including the quantum of Salt production. Haiti's

Salt imports (as iodised Salt) form just about 1% of all the edible Salt available in the market.

All over Haiti the Salt producers adopt a common practice. They dig up ponds (called basins) in the soil until they hit

the clayey layer. The basins vary in size from 9 m x 11m to 40mx30m. The rain water that accumulates in the basins during

monsoon cannot be emptied without pumping and for want power supply nobody uses pumps. Consequently, even though

Salt manufacturing operations could start earlier than in January, the Salt producers wait till the accumulated rain water in

the basins to dry sufficiently enough before they start cleaning up the debris that might have accumulated in them, deepen

the basins and fill them with sea brine of 3o Be' from the creek during high tides.The basins are filled to a depth of 2 to 3

feet.

The basin represents the entire Salt work. There are no separate reservoirs, condensers and crystallisers. No effort

goes into the preparation of the bed of the basin.


As the brine is weak, not only the bottom of the basin becomes slushy and remains so but a variety of sea fish etc.,

thrive in the basins and die as the density rises. The dead fish and other impurities that the tide brings in are taken out and

the brine allowed to evaporate. The crystallised Salt is scooped out in cane or plastic baskets. The Salt harvested is both

physically and chemically impure. There is no brine control and system and the Haitian Salt producers have no knowledge

about the density of sea brine or about the various constituents of sea water. They have never seen or used a Beaume

meter.

Indian Assistance

With a view to help Haitian Salt producers improve the quality of Salt produced by the (as a prelude to iodisation), an

Indian Consultant visited Haiti and trained about 80 Salt producers in the basics of Salt technology, brine control using

Beaume hydrometer and provided them a Manual for reference. Later, the Anand Marga Rural Upliftment Team (AMURT),

an NGO, hired the services of another Indian Salt technologist, who stayed in Haiti for 6 months, educating and training

Haitian Salt producers not only in laying out Salt works adopting scientific lay out on new lands but also on the ways and

means of converting the existing basins into scientific lay out. The efforts paid off and a number of Salt producers have

begun to adopt the scientific layout. The Donor agencies (Micronutrient Initiative and World Food Programme) procured

Beaume meters and pumps from India.

Indian Consultants have also trained Haitians in Salt iodisation using appropriate technology. Haiti is a long way to go,

but has made a beginning.


In old Japanese theatres, Salt was sprinkled on to the stage before each performance to prevent evil spirits from casting a
spell on the actors.

Вам также может понравиться