IMPORT HEAVY: W. Visayas relies on imported salt as local output meets only 33% of demand

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Only a third of the salt needed for human consumption in Western Visayas comes from local production, leaving the region heavily dependent on imports from other parts of the Philippines and abroad, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Western Visayas (BFAR-6).

BFAR-6 reported that local salt production currently stands at 5,497 metric tons (MT), compared with the region’s requirement of 16,371 MT — covering only 33% of the demand.

To fill the gap, Western Visayas sources salt from Negros Occidental, Mindoro, and countries such as China, India, and Australia. Negros Occidental alone contributes 50% of the region’s salt supply.

BFAR-6 Director Remia Appari said the agency has yet to determine the full industry requirement of the region but emphasized the need to boost local production.

Appari noted that even before the enactment of Republic Act No. 11985, or the Philippine Salt Industry Development Act, in 2024, the region was already producing its own salt.

The law mandates a five-year Philippine Salt Industry Development Roadmap, aligned with RA 8172 or the ASIN Law, covering production increases, area expansion, research and development, training, sustainability, market access, and investment promotion.

In Western Visayas, Iloilo, Antique, and Guimaras are the primary salt-producing provinces, with Guimaras leading in output.

“That is our target [to reduce our importation]. Our contribution from Region 6 is less than 10% to the country’s salt requirement, but we rank number 3,” she said.

At the national level, MIMAROPA, or Region IV-B, is the top salt-producing region, with Occidental Mindoro dubbed the “Salt Capital of the Philippines,” followed by the Ilocos Region, or Region I.

“What we are targeting now at the national level is to increase the salt production in order that we can reduce the importation of salt. We want to be self-reliant, and it will provide additional livelihood for the fisherfolk,” Appari said.

Salt making in the country is highly seasonal, with production typically running from December to May, when intense sunlight and low humidity enable efficient evaporation in coastal salt beds.

Despite the push for increased local production, Appari noted that the main challenges are the quality of locally produced salt and long-standing consumer habits favoring imported products.

“They are used to that because even in Guimaras, when you sell them a local produce, they still prefer imported, and that is what we are trying to do, to improve the quality of the salt so that it will be comparable to the imported salt so that we can sell it domestically,” she said.

To address this, BFAR-6 is upgrading salt production technologies by providing High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic materials, equipment, and infrastructure, replacing traditional solar-based methods that require extensive labor.

“BFAR is investing in HDPE plastics, engines, containers, and other materials needed to improve salt quality. We are also providing storage facilities and training on food safety to ensure the product is clean and marketable,” she said.

The agency has also spent PHP 7.3 million so far for programs benefiting nine fisherfolk groups engaged in salt production.

BFAR-6 is implementing a USD 10 million project with the Korea International Cooperation Agency from 2022 to 2028 to boost aquaculture development and increase fisherfolk income in Guimaras.

The project includes the construction of a multi-purpose building, hatcheries, ponds, training facilities, post-harvest and processing units, as well as the provision of equipment, capacity building, and support for business operations and management. It is expected to directly benefit 12,553 fisherfolk.

“This is also supporting the establishment and strengthening of cooperative-based business operations and for technical assistance on the operation of aquaculture facilities or the hatchery,” she said.

While efforts to expand local salt production are underway, Appari stressed that developing large-scale production technology and creating a viable market for local salt remain critical.

“We have to provide the environment for the marketing of domestic salt produced, which will be prioritized over that of the imported ones,” she said.