Govt to set up 'Salt Board' to ensure fair prices to farmers

The government is working to establish a "Salt Board" to ensure that salt farmers receive fair prices, Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan said today (17 January).

"Additionally, the government has undertaken a project to establish a Salt Research Institute in Cox's Bazar's Chowfaldandi union," the adviser told journalists after visiting a salt field and proposed site for the research institute in the union.

"The government is also implementing a pilot project to improve salt standards and production," he added.

The adviser also stressed the government's commitment to protect farmers' interests, increasing salt production, and achieving complete self-sufficiency in the sector.

During the visit, Adilur heard farmers' concerns, including issues like not receiving fair prices, the influence of middlemen, and the shortage of government-allocated land for cultivation.

Earlier, he held a meeting with salt industry stakeholders at the Cox's Bazar district administration office.

Ministry of Industries Senior Secretary Zakia Sultana, Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Salahuddin, Superintendent of Police Md Rahmat Ullah, and Deputy General Manager of BSCIC's Cox's Bazar Regional Office Md Zafor Iqbal, along with other senior officials of the administration, were present during the meeting.

Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) officials informed that a 30-acre Salt Research Institute will be constructed in Chowfaldandi at a cost of Tk154 crore. The project proposal is currently under review at the Ministry of Finance.

Additionally, Salt Industry's Development Office is implementing the pilot project in Chowfaldandi to increase salt production using cultivation techniques from India, China, and Japan, they said.