Ctg man’s pink salt venture paves new business path

Infographic: TBS

Within a year of launching his dairy farm in 2016, Mohammad Yeasin Arafath faced a major crisis. Despite regular vaccinations and medications, his 70 goats and a few cows began suffering from declining milk production, hair loss, and premature births. 

Besides, unusual behaviours, such as licking walls and dirt, were observed. 

Seeking answers, Arafath turned to his younger brother, Omar Faruq, a fisheries student at Humboldt University in Germany. Omar identified the issue: a severe mineral deficiency, and recommended animal lick salt blocks, also known as rock salt blocks, to address the problem.

However, Arafath couldn't find the product in any Chattogram market.

Undeterred, he took his search online for reliable suppliers. During this time, the Covid-19 pandemic forced him to close his goat farm.

Refusing to give up, he contacted a certified supplier in Pakistan and navigated the complex process of obtaining government approvals. 

In May 2023, after overcoming numerous hurdles, Arafath's company, Warda & Jubayer Agro Industries Limited, became the first in Bangladesh to import 25 tonnes of pink mineral animal lick salt block.

"The journey was tough," Arafath told The Business Standard. "There was no precedent for importing such a product in Bangladesh. We had to convince the livestock ministry, and they finally approved it."

Today, top farms like Mamata Dairy, Molla Dairy, Abul Khair Dairy, and Nahar Agro are among Arafath's satisfied clients. 

In the past 18 months, he has imported nearly 100 tonnes of animal lock salt blocks from Pakistan's Peak Minerals Private Limited, supplying farms of all sizes and offering free samples to support small farmers.

Animal lick salt contains 84 minerals, and a 3kg block is typically placed in front of cattle and goats to lick. A single cow can consume a block in 25 days, while a goat may take one to two months. The product is priced at Tk185–Tk190 per kg.

Ruhul Amin Labi, in charge of OG Agro, praised the product's quality: "We've been using rock salt stone for almost four years. We previously sourced from Khatunganj, but the quality wasn't great. For over a year, we've been sourcing from Warda & Jubayer, and the quality has been excellent."

Mohammad Alamgir, district livestock officer, said many farms in Chattogram now use lick salt blocks, reporting great results. "It's filling the mineral gap in livestock, and we encourage farmers with good management practices to use it," he said.

Pink salt for human consumption

In addition to animal lick salt blocks, Arafath also imports pink salt for human consumption from the Khewra Salt Mines, located at the foothills of the Himalayas in Pakistan's Punjab province. 

This salt is not only rich in sodium chloride, but also contains essential macro and micro-nutrients like iron, magnesium, chromium, sulfate, and zinc, said Arafath.  

Consuming pink salt offers a range of health benefits, including reducing bad cholesterol, aiding weight loss, improving digestive health, promoting healthy blood pressure, and alleviating stress, joint pain, and symptoms of conditions like diabetes, asthma, and arthritis. 

Arafath, having researched the product, began importing Himalayan pink salt through Pakistan's Peak Minerals in 2024. Currently, Arafath's company supplies pink salt in bulk to House of Harmony, an organic food supplier, where it is sold at Tk980 to Tk1,000 per kg.

"To ensure quality, I source from companies certified by eight international bodies, including ISO, GMP, FDA, BRC, KOSHER, and HACCP," said Arafath. "After that, we package it in a hygienic environment at our factory. Gradually, demand is growing."

He added that many have approached him for wholesale purchases, but due to the risk of counterfeiting, he declined. "Next month, we will launch our own brand, Pink Mineral, and market Humalayan pink salt directly."

Future plans

Arafath has established a small yet dynamic factory on 40 decimal land in Boalkhali, Chattogram, under Warda & Jubayer Agro. He is working toward exporting packaged products to European markets and is venturing into ready-to-cook and frozen foods made with pink salt. 

The company, which received registration from the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) in 2023, has invested nearly Tk5 crore and employs 30 people. 

"Chinese and Indian companies are already packaging and marketing similar products in Europe," Arafath said. "If they can do it, why can't we?"

Looking ahead, Arafath plans to revive his dairy farm and launch frozen dalpuri, multi-grain roti, fishballs, meatballs, and chicken nuggets made with pink salt.

"I'm moving forward with export plans, and this is just the beginning," he added.