October 22, 2025 | 03:12 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Zulkifli Hasan stated that Indonesia is still importing salt for industrial purposes.
"We no longer import salt for consumption, but it is still needed for industries," said Zulkifli Hasan while commemorating the first year of his ministry's performance at Graha Mandiri, Jakarta, on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
However, Zulhas, as he is commonly called, promised that the government will stop importing all types of salt by 2027 if domestic production capacity is sufficient.
Previously, the government officially banned salt imports for various food and pharmaceutical needs starting from January 1, 2025. This regulation was stipulated in Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 126 of 2022 concerning the Acceleration of National Salt Production. Through this policy, the government ceased salt imports for industries, except for the needs of chlor-alkali plants (CAP).
However, in mid-May 2025, Zulhas stated that the government agreed to reopen imports. "Yes, it's allowed now," he announced in a press conference after a coordination meeting at his office on Friday, May 16, 2025.
According to him, the current domestic salt industry's capacity is not yet adequate to ensure national self-sufficiency. While self-sufficiency is expected to be achieved in 2027 through the establishment of new factories, this goal cannot be realized at present.
Consequently, the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs, along with relevant ministries, finally agreed to relax salt imports. "Because the pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries have been making requests. Infusions require salt. We cannot produce that yet; it will only be possible in 2027," he explained.
Han Revanda and Ilona Estherina contributed to the report
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