The government is considering imposing a uniform duty both for salt millers and importers to remove the discriminatory treatment in the sector.
To this effect, industries ministry at a meeting discussed the issue recently.
When asked, a senior ministry official said, "We've discussed the annual demand of edible salt (sodium chlorine) and industrial salt (sodium sulfate)."
"We also discussed duty on salt imports," he added.
"We're thinking of imposing a uniform duty in the interest of local millers and industry," the official he told the FE.
According to industry insiders, some 37 per cent duty has to be paid for importing salt for industrial use.
On the other hand, salt millers have to pay 92 per cent duty for importing edible salt, they said.
This duty discrimination for salt millers and industry must be addressed, they said, adding: "The government should take an initiative as early as possible."
The Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation has set a target to produce 1.8 million tonnes of salt this season against the domestic demand for an estimated 1.65 million tonnes.
Another high official of the ministry said, "We'll fix the annual demand for salt in the local industry."
"We can also request the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry to know about it."
The official said the annual demand for salt increases by 10 per cent in line with the growing population.
"The country saw a good yield of salt from last November to February. Judging from this production trend, we hope to have a bumper salt production."
"But we missed the production target due to excessive rain in April and May 2018," he mentioned.
A substantial amount of salt is being used for preserving rawhide and skins of sacrificial animals, a commerce ministry official said.
The country produced 1.62 million tonnes of salt in fiscal year (FY) 2015-16 and 1.66 million tonnes in FY 2016-17, BSCIC sources said.
