Season ends with major shortfall in salt production

The country's salt production target for the 2025-26 season has not been achieved due to adverse weather conditions, including prolonged fog and unseasonal rainfall, according to the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC).
Data from the BSCIC Salt Industry Development Office in Cox's Bazar showed that against a demand target of 2.715 million tonnes (MT), total production reached 1.944 million tonnes, leaving a shortfall of 770,074 tonnes.
The salt production season, which began on 12 November 2025, officially ended on 25 May this year. During the season, 40,150 salt farmers cultivated salt on 67,757 acres of land in the coastal areas of Cox's Bazar and the Chattogram upazilas of Banshkhali, Anwara and Patiya. The total output translates to an average yield of 28.70 MT, or about 718 maunds, per acre.
Salt is produced primarily in Cox's Bazar and the coastal belts of Banshkhali, Anwara and Patiya, with Cox's Bazar accounting for around 90% of the country's total production. According to BSCIC officials, land preparation for the season began in late October last year. Motivated by awareness campaigns and training on improved salt production techniques, farmers started field preparation ahead of schedule and commenced production in Kutubdia on 12 November.
However, continuous rainfall between 28 April and 8 May severely disrupted production during the peak harvesting period. Although weather conditions later improved in some areas, intermittent rains continued to hamper operations.
Rainfall measuring between 10 and 39 mm was recorded on the night of 24 May, followed by another 7 to 15 mm on 25 May. In addition, many shrimp farmers reopened embankments to allow tidal water into shrimp enclosures after lease agreements with salt farmers expired, further affecting production.
During this season, salt production remained completely suspended for 36 days due to dense fog and rainfall. With no prospect of resuming production, farmers stored their remaining salt using traditional methods and vacated the fields along with their equipment, bringing the season to a close on 25 May. Zafar Iqbal Bhuiyan, deputy general manager of the BSCIC Salt Industry Development Office in Cox's Bazar, said excessive fog and rainfall forced production to remain halted for 36 days during the season, resulting in a significant decline in output.
"Although 40,150 farmers cultivated salt on 67,757 acres of land, total production stood at 1.944 million tonnes against a target of 2.715 metric tonnes, leaving a deficit of 770,074 tonnes," he said.