The import of salt is at present unnecessary though domestic production suffered setbacks because of the devastating cyclone and tidal surge of April 29. Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporations (BSCIC) sources said on Wednesday

The sources said that annual domestic demand for salt was about six lakh tons and the corporation had targeted at achieving salt autarky by 1990-91.

The country has now a stock of about five lakh tons. Fresh production will begin from next November, the BSCIC sources added.

The salt farmers along the coastal belt produced 6.35 lakh tons during the last season till April 28. Moreover, stocks at different godowns before the cyclone stood at 33 thousands tons. Total loss of salt (in salt-bed and godown) because of the cyclone and tidal surge is estimated at two lakh tons.

Salt is produced mainly in Chakoria. Kutubdia. Moheshkhali, Teknaf and Cox's Bazar Sadar upazllas which were badly battered by cyclone.

Satkhira si also a salt producing zone under the BSCIC programme.

The authorities distributed only 14 lakh Taka as loans

among the farmers until the cyclone during this season. Bangladesh Bank however set the credit disbursement target for the salt sector this season at Taka five crore, the BSCIC sources said.

The sources added that slow disbursement of credits would affect adversely production at a time when most farmers sustained huge losses because of the cyclone.

Chairman of BSCIC Moniruzzaman Chowdhury who visited twice the salt producing areas after the cyclone told The Daily Star that the farmers would extensive help to repair their damaged projects.

With effective incentives, an early recovery in the salt sector will be possible." he said.

Salt is produced in 35 thousand acres of land in the country. With autarky in the sector, there will be an annual import saving of about Taka 50 crore in precious foreign exchange.

BSCIC Chairman said, proper storage facilities, effective credit delivery arrangements and easy transportation network are needed to help attain the objective of self-sufficiency or autarky in salt