Farmers' livelihoods under threat from low salt prices<\/p>\n
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon<\/p>\n
The traditional salt industry along the north coast of Cirebon
\nregency, West Java, is in urgent need of modernization to help
\nimprove the quality of salt and the welfare of more than 32,000
\nsalt farmers in the regency.<\/p>\n
The farmers have complained that falling market prices of
\nlocally produced salt was affecting their livelihoods, leaving
\nthem unable to pay for their daily needs.<\/p>\n
M. Insyaf Supriadi, chairman of a salt farmer's group in
\nCirebon, said at his salt plant on Tuesday that the traditional
\nproduction methods farmers had used for decades were no longer
\neffective because, besides being less productive, the product
\ncould not compete with imported salt.<\/p>\n
\"The farmers will remain poor and never be able to improve
\ntheir lot if they continue using traditional methods. Therefore,
\nthe local administration, in cooperation with non-governmental
\norganizations, should take the initiative to introduce modern
\ntechnology to produce quality salt with a competitive price,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Insyaf said salt prices had dropped drastically to around Rp
\n100 (1 U.S. cent) per kilogram at present from between Rp 400 and
\nRp 500 per kilo in 2003.<\/p>\n
\"Each farmer harvests around 30 tons of salt in a three-month
\nperiod but they have suffered losses because the Rp 3 million
\nsale of harvested salt did not cover production costs, including
\nthe rent of one hectare of land, which has reached Rp 1.5
\nmillion, while workers are paid Rp 25,000 per day each,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Farmers in the regency are holding onto their salt until March
\nand April next year because of an oversupply in Java. The
\noversupply has been caused by the harvest season in north coastal
\nareas.<\/p>\n
Tjasmudi, 42, a salt farmer in Rawaurip village, Pangenan
\nsubdistrict, said the harvest season had not benefited salt
\nfarmers, many of whom had pulled their children out of school
\nbecause they could no longer afford to pay school fees.<\/p>\n
\"Many farmers have stopped farming and sought new jobs at
\nconstruction sites in urban areas to survive the difficult time,\"
\nhe said, adding that his two adolescent sons were working on a
\nconstruction site in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Insyaf said he was lobbying the local administration to
\nintroduce modern technology and was appealing to state banks to
\nprovide low-interest loans to low-income salt farmers so as to
\nempower them.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/farmers-livelihoods-under-threat-from-low-salt-prices-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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