There’s a lot of talk about salt, particularly an impending salt shortage. But the discussion really pointed to another question – why is a country composed by 7,000-plus islands importing about 90 percent of its salt consumption?
“Imagine being surrounded by tons of saltwater and loads of sunshine year-round, and the Philippines has to import 93 percent of its salt requirements,” says Dr. Raymund Lo, Manila Bulletin columnist in his “Under the Microscope” column last week.
In response to the reports floating in traditional and social media, the Department of Trade and Industry assured us that there is no salt shortage which consumers must have perceived from the increased prices of salt in the market. As a result, the prices of food which uses salt – among them dried fish – has gone up too.
The DTI explained the price increase, saying that the manufacturers were allowed to raise their prices as it has been around six years since the last increase.
Salt season – Salt farmers scrape raw salt sun-dried in a farm at Dasol town, west of Pangasinan. Salt production normally doubles up during the dry season when temperature is warmer. (Manila Bulletin file photo)
At the Senate, last Aug. 29, Senator Imee Marcos had expressed dismay over the country’s importation of salt although it is easy to produce it since the Philippines is surrounded by saltwater. Marcos said that an alleged salt shortage has led to higher prices of dried fish, which is part of the Filipino’s diet.
Here’s more about the salt issue from Manila Bulletin news reports and opinion columns:
Manila Bulletin had a story on the salt shortage issue where the Department of Agriculture (DA) and other government agencies came up with plans to improve salt production.
The report said: “The DA will implement programs to boost salt production and supply, which, according to the DA, is starting to dwindle. It will also expand salt production areas and push for the development of technologies to accelerate production.
In Malacanang, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said on Aug. 29 that “initial plans” are in place to improve salt production in the country, an industry it tagged as “long neglected.”
The government will help in the modernization of our salt industry,” she said. “The government “is now working double time to beef up support for the salt industry to enhance the production of local salt.”
Manila Bulletin columnist, Dr. Raymund Lo had also sounded the alarm in a column devoted to the unintended results of the ASIN Law.
“Back in 1990, we imported a measly 15 percent of our salt requirements, mainly Morton Salt…, which was probably the only iodized salt available in the country then.
“Then in 1995, RA 8172 was enacted prohibiting the use of non-iodized salt. Its intention was good: To eliminate iodine deficiency in the population.
“Is it coincidental that the drastic drop in salt supply coincided with the so-called ASIN (Act for Salt Iodization Nationwide) law? …Faced with heavy penalties but without the means to iodize the salt they were producing, many salt producers stopped production.”
MB columnist, agriculture editor Yvette Tan, explained the ASIN Law:
ASIN Law
“Republic Act 8172, or the Act for Salt Iodization Nationwide, also known as the ASIN Law, according to the National Nutrition Council website, “is the requirement of the addition of iodine to salt intended for the animal and human consumption in order to eliminate micronutrient malnutrition in the country.”
“Though the ASIN Law was drafted as a way to curb iodine deficiency in the country, its unintended side effect was to put the majority of the country’s salt farmers out of business. The ASIN Law made it illegal to sell salt that wasn’t iodized. Since the majority of local salt farmers then (and now) had no funds or facilities to comply, they simply went out of business. This meant that salt, both iodized and uniodized, had to be imported, because even though it is illegal to sell uniodized salt produced in the Philippines, it’s legal to import it.”
Improved iodine levels
Did the intent of the law get the desired results?
Dr. Lo said: “In the succeeding years, there was a general improvement in iodine levels among schoolchildren, pregnant and lactating women, and the elderly, that is, until 2013, when levels were observed to have dropped to deficient status among these groups, except schoolchildren. (Perlas et al. Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism vol.7 no.3, June 2017).
Gourmet salt
More on the subject of salt, Ms. Tan points out a “taste-friendly information” that salt has become a gourmet commodity “with certain locations gaining popularity because of the kind of salt they produce.”
She cited the Himalayan pink and black salts, French fleur de sel, and Hawaiian black salt. “Each has a distinct flavor and pairs well with specific dishes, commanding high prices in the market,” she said.
PH salt making traditions
The country’s salt making traditions has also produced gourmet salt. Ms. Tan describes them in another column:
“The Philippines has its own salt making traditions that can be considered artisanal as well. An example of this is “asin tibuok” from Bohol: Saltwater is filtered through ashes and left to crystallize in a clay pot, resulting in a compact salt egg that is grated onto food.
“Guimaras has “tultul,” salt processed with “gata” (coconut milk) into a block that’s said to contain so much flavor all one needed was to add a bit onto some rice for a delicious meal. Salt from Pangasinan’s salt beds has been slowly gaining popularity overseas because of the flavor it lends to dishes.”
It’s good to know that government has the development of traditional gourmet salt in their plans.
A report said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will lead various research and development initiatives on salt production and assist marginal and artisanal salt makers. The government also committed to push for the realization of the Development of Salt Industry Project (DSIP) for salt makers in the Ilocos Region, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula.
More than a pinch of salt
We’ve said more than a “pinch of salt” about this ingredient that makes food taste better, the way it enlivened the good old cake that now is available in salted caramel flavor! Taste what a pinch of salt can do! By the way, there’s also salted caramel ice cream.