Indonesia is rapidly advancing its National Salt Industry Zone (K-SIGN) in Rote Ndao, aiming to halt industrial salt imports by 2028. State-owned PT Garam will lead Zone 1 with a high-efficiency processing plant expected to launch by year-end.
The Rp750 billion facility will employ Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) to boost production, with a projected 30% capacity increase in 2026. Total K-SIGN output is targeted at 3 million tons annually, enough to replace current imports.
However, quality concerns remain. PT Garam acknowledged that local salt purity is not yet aligned with food industry needs. The company is now developing new machinery models and refining processes to meet 99% purity levels required for pharmaceutical use.
