PHOTO: COLLECTED

SUKANTA HALDER and MOKAMMEL SHUVO

Days of incessant rainfall during the peak production season have caused salt farming to come to a standstill, raising concerns over reduced salt output and posing risks to the country’s overall supply and market stability.

Farmers are receiving higher prices than last year for their produce. However, unfavourable weather has flooded salt fields, dashing their hopes for higher profits.

The salt production season in the country usually runs from November to May, with production peaking from April to May due to the intense summer heat, but rain has brought production to an untimely halt, said an industry official.

While the situation remains bleak at present, farmers are hoping that a return of favourable weather and the consequent resumption of production could help ease this crisis.

As of April 27, total salt output reached 17.68 lakh tonnes, down from 18.61 lakh tonnes during the same period last season, according to Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) data.

Bouts of adverse weather were responsible for the downturn in output, said Md Zafar Iqbal Bhuiyan, deputy general manager of the Cox’s Bazar Salt Industry Development Office under BSCIC.

“Nonstop rain at the end of last week damaged a significant volume of newly produced salt, causing heavy losses for farmers,” he said.