Salt farmers along the Cox’s Bazar coast have returned to their fields after a two-week halt in production caused by heavy rainfall and unfavourable weather. During this peak season disruption, an estimated 400,000 metric tonnes of salt production were lost.
With the weather improving since yesterday, farmers across the coastal districts have resumed preparations for salt production. However, experts note that it may take farmers at least four to five days to drain the accumulated water and prepare the fields fully.
According to the farmers, rain has fallen almost daily since the end of the Bengali month of Chaitra. However, no rainfall has been reported across the coastal areas for the past three days, offering a much-needed window to restart production.
Data from the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) Cox’s Bazar Salt Industry Development Office shows that this season, salt cultivation has been carried out over 59,099 acres in Cox’s Bazar—covering Sadar, Kutubdia, Maheshkhali, Pekua, Chakaria, Eidgaon, and Teknaf upazilas. In Chattogram’s Banshkhali, Anwara, and Patiya upazilas, salt is cultivated across 10,089 acres.
As of last Sunday, 1,843,693 metric tons of salt had been produced over the past five months.
Md. Zafar Iqbal Bhuiyan, Deputy General Manager of BSCIC Cox’s Bazar, stated that the national target for salt production this year has been set at 2.61 million metric tonnes. He expressed optimism that the production target can still be achieved if favorable weather continues for another month.
It is noteworthy that during this time last season, Cox’s Bazar recorded a daily maximum salt production of 42,000 metric tonnes. In contrast, the highest daily production this season so far.
By Abdur Rashid Manik
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