Salt production in India is likely to be reduced by 30% in 2022, because of the delayed onset of the harvest season in Gujurat, the country’s largest salt-producing state responsible for almost 90% of domestic production. The delay in the harvest season follows an extended monsoon season, naturally resulting in less time for harvesting.

India is the third-largest producer of salt in the world after China and the USA with a, annual production of around 30Mtpy of salt.  Nearly all is produced by the solar evaporation of seawater and around two-thirds are of industrial grade and the balance is edible. National output is closely tied to the monsoon climate as only small volumes are mined from salt mines (rock salt).

Indian producers are major exporters of salt, shipping around 10Mt to consumers in Asia and the Middle East, mostly for use in chlor-alkali. A 30% reduction in production could lead the Indian government to restrict exports in order to secure domestic supply. This would strongly impact some markets in the Middle East and Asia where Indian salt is a major component of overall supply, particularly in the chloralkali sector, but also in the edible market.