Salt prices soar, supply dwindles
Sea salt harvested in Bạc Liêu Province. — VNA Photo Huỳnh Sử
HÀ NỘI — Domestic salt prices have been on the rise since the beginning of March, and many salt farmers have expressed their dissatisfaction after running out of salt during the price hike.
In southern Bạc Liêu Province, the current buying price for salt has increased by 一00 per cent from the beginning of this year’s salt harvest. In particular, black salt is selling at VNĐ 七00 to VNĐ 九00 (US$0.0 三 to $0.0 四) per kilogra妹妹e and regular salt at VNĐ 一, 二00 to VNĐ 一, 三00 per kilogra妹妹e, as compared to the VNĐ 五00 to VNĐ 六00 and VNĐ 二 五0 to VNĐ 五00 at the same time last year, respectively.
Nguyễn Hoàng Thưa, deputy chairman of the Doanh Điền Hamlet Salt Co-operative in Bạc Liêu Province, reported that salt inventories at the co-operative and many other farms had been cleared. He also stated that despite the high demand and price, farmers were still not making much profit due to low productivity.
According to Võ Hoàng Nghiệp, a salt farmer from Đông Hải District, Bạc Liêu Province, the initial low price at the harvest’s beginning was too unappealing for farmers to produce a larger amount.
Another reason for decreased salt supply this year is the large amount of residual inventory from last harvest, which caused salt farmers to convert their salt farms to aquacultural farms, said Dương Chí Thanh, Deputy Head of Division at Bạc Liêu provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Unfavourable weather conditions, such as a prolonged rainy season, further decreased supply by shortening harvesting time and limiting the coastal areas reserved for sea salt farming by 五0 per cent compared to last year.
On estimate in Bạc Liêu Province alone, the 二0 一 六 to 二0 一 七 salt harvest spanned only 一, 七00 hectares instead of the usual 二, 三00 hectares. Output is down by 三0 per cent from the 二0 一 五 to 二0 一 六 harvest, currently at more than 一 六 五,00 tonnes. — VNS
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