Government Targets End to Salt Imports by 2029

Indonesia continues to rely on salt imports despite possessing one of the longest coastlines in the world. The government is working to reduce salt imports starting in 2026, with the ultimate goal of achieving self-sufficiency by 2029.

The Head of the Government Communications Agency (BAKOM), Muhammad Qodari, explained the government’s target for a gradual reduction in salt imports until they cease entirely in 2029.

“The volume of salt imports is targeted to drop from a baseline of approximately 2.6 million tonnes to 2 million tonnes in 2026, 1 million tonnes in 2027, and reaching zero by 2029,” said Qodari at the BAKOM office on Wednesday (2/9/2026).

According to Qodari, the dependence on salt imports is quite ironic, given that Indonesia is one of the countries with the longest coastlines in the world.

“So this is our bitter reality; it turns out we have been importing salt even though we are an archipelagic nation with perhaps the longest coastline in the world,” he remarked.

To address this, the government plans to develop the National Salt Industry Centre (KSIGN). One such area will be developed in the Rote Ndao Regency, East Nusa Tenggara.

The KSIGN Rote Ndao development covers 2,000 hectares and is expected to stimulate regional economic growth. The investment value for the development of the 2,000-hectare KSIGN Rote Ndao reaches Rp2 trillion.

Qodari stated that the first phase of the area’s development has reached 616 hectares, followed by the second phase covering 751 hectares.

“The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is currently conducting production trials on the 616 hectares that have been completed, with the first harvest targeted for November 2026,” he said.

Qodari explained that the total area to be developed covers 10,764 hectares. 2,000 hectares will be developed through a community land utilisation cooperation scheme, while the remaining 8,000 hectares will be populated through direct investment schemes.

Through this programme, the government also targets a gradual increase in national salt production to 2.5 million tonnes in 2026, from a baseline of 1 million tonnes, rising to 3.5 million tonnes in 2027, and reaching 5 million tonnes by 2029.