Prabowo Allocates Rp2 Trillion to Pursue Salt Self-Sufficiency in Rote Ndao, NTT
The Indonesian government has begun accelerating the development of the National Salt Industry Centre (KSIGN) in Rote Ndao, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), as a cornerstone of the ambition to achieve national salt self-sufficiency.
The Head of the Government Communication Agency (Bakom), Muhammad Qodery, stated that the development of this area is part of President Prabowo Subianto’s efforts to address the paradox of Indonesia being an archipelagic nation that remains dependent on salt imports.
“This is our bitter reality; it turns out we have been importing salt, despite being an archipelagic nation with perhaps one of the longest coastlines in the world. This is part of the effort to realise national salt self-sufficiency,” Qodery said during a press conference at the Bakom Office, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday, 2 September 2026.
The Rp2 trillion investment will be directed towards constructing salt ponds alongside various supporting infrastructure. This includes roads, storage and processing facilities, pumps, and other supporting amenities.
The development of KSIGN Rote Ndao is not only aimed at increasing production volume. The government also intends to enhance the quality and productivity of salt to provide greater economic value for salt farmers and the surrounding community.
In the initial stage, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is implementing an open salt pond method using geomembranes or High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). This technology is intended to increase both the quantity and quality of salt production.
Technological modernisation will be carried out gradually through collaboration with various parties. One of the preparations includes the utilisation of renewable energy through Solar Power Plants (PLTS).
Through this development, the government hopes to boost farmers’ incomes. The increase in productivity, quality, and added value of salt is expected to ensure that local communities are not merely production labourers but are increasingly involved in the salt business supply chain.
Furthermore, the area is projected to become a new investment magnet in Rote Ndao. The influx of investment is expected to create jobs and foster various supporting businesses that will drive the local economy.
The target for the KSIGN development reaches 2,000 hectares. In addition to the area being developed by the KKP, investors will develop more than 8,000 hectares of other areas through various cooperation schemes, including profit-sharing models.