Salt producers in Cox's Bazar say they are apprehensive of being deprived of fair prices.
They say it is mostly due to the reluctance of salt factory owners, general strikes and similar political programmes, and because of the rising costs of raw material.
Some nine lakh people in the district make their living from salt. The daily essential is predominantly produced in Cox's Bazar Sadar, Ramu, Teknaf, Pekua, Chakaria, Kutubdia and Maheshkhali upazilas.
Salt produced in eight upazilas of the district is sold across the country. Some 50 small and large salt factories set up in Islampur area refine the produced salt.
Azizul Haque, a salt producer in Maheshkhali, said he has been lending money to local salt workers for a decade.
“I give them Tk20,000-25,000 per acre but now there is doubt whether they will be able to repay the loan this year,” he said.
Ansarul Karim, a salt trader, said he was facing difficulties to even recover his investment, let alone making a profit.
Maheshkhali Salt Producer and Trader Association General Secretary Nesar Uddin said some syndicates have also attempted to import salt in the face of BNP's indefinite transport blockade.
“This will put local salt producers in big trouble. This has happened in the past as well,” he said.
Moniruzzaman, former president of Natun Bazar Salt Producer and Trader Cooperative Society in Maheshkhali, said the political programmes have gotten in the way of transporting salt.
“By the same token, traders in Chandpur, Jhalakati, Narayanganj and some other places are unable to come to Cox's Bazar to buy salt. This has invited trouble for salt producers as they are left with a large volume of unsold produce. Now if salt is imported, it will only exacerbate the plight of producers,” he added.
But Deputy General Manager of Cox's Bazar BSCIC (Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation) Md Abdul Latif refused to comment whether salt producers would be facing problems.
He said salt fields are still being surveyed and this year's production target has been set at 18 lakh tonnes.
