Jokowi Gives Nod to Industrial Salt Imports

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesian President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo agreed to import industrial salt to accommodate the requirements of industries.

“The president agreed to directly import industrial salt for the food industries with the recommendation of the Ministry of Industry,” Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan told a virtual press conference broadcast via the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel.

Luhut spoke to media after attending a meeting with Jokowi and some ministers on Monday, October 5.

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Luhut said that Jokowi also gave permission to food industries to import sugar.

However, Luhut emphasized that the permission comes with a responsibility for strict adherence to rules and regulations for importing salt and sugar. To do so, he added, Jokowi has assigned Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita to oversee the importation.

“The Minister of Industry knows best how it works. This includes how many industries need for industrial salt and the amount of salt they need,” he said.

Any violations to rules governing sugar and salt imports will be dealt with through sanctions such as the revocation of import permits that the Ministry of Industry will impose, Lumut added.

“So, for example, the glass industry needs the supply for salt and they import it. If a violation is found, such as when the imported salt is sold in the domestic market and leads to suppressed prices, then their import permits will be revoked,” said Luhut.

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