By Rathindra Kuruwita

Sri Lanka’s Northern and Eastern provinces are ideal locations for establishing salterns, which could support ancillary domestic industries creating a range of new employment opportunities for the youth in those parts of the counntry, says Dr Mahinsasa Rathnayake, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa

In an interview with Asoka Dias on Sirasa, Dr. Rathnayake, commenting on the government’s recent decision to import salt, said such imports consisted mainly of raw, non-iodised salt intended for industrial applications. He noted that Sri Lanka was largely self-sufficient in iodised table salt but was currently struggling to meet the demand for industrial salt essential for various applications

Sri Lanka needs 200,000 MT of salt annually, but the local salterns produce only 150,000 to 170,000 MT. A significant shortfall exists in vacuum salt production, a chemically purified type of salt used extensively in industries such as food preservation, confectionery, mineral solutions like Jeevani, animal feed, vitamin supplements, and water purification. While the demand for vacuum salt is around 30,000 to 40,000 MT annually, Sri Lanka produces only about 3,000 MT.

Hambantota and Puttalam are Sri Lanka’s primary salterns, with the former’s 1,000-acre facility capable of producing up to 100,000 MT annually and Puttalam’s 800-acre saltern offering a potential output of 60,000 MT. Smaller facilities include the saltern at Manthai, Mannar, which has a capacity of 8,000 MT but produces only 4,000 MT currently, and Elephant Pass, with a potential of 20,000 MT but producing 12,000 MT. A new saltern is also under construction in Kuchchaveli.

Sri Lankan salterns produce sea salt using solar evaporation, a natural process where seawater enters shallow ponds and evaporates, leaving salt crystals. As this method relies on environmental conditions, several factors must be considered when establishing new salterns.

Key considerations include soil characteristics, average wind speed, sunlight availability, and low rainfall levels. Seawater salinity is particularly critical; for instance, Hambantota’s high salinity levels make it highly productive for salt extraction. In contrast, the Northern and Eastern regions, as well as Puttalam, have comparatively lower seawater salinity, which impacts their potential salt yields. Identifying suitable locations requires careful evaluation of these factors to ensure optimal production.

In 2024, altered rainfall patterns driven by climate change brought significant rainfall to many areas where salterns are located. Dr. Rathnayake emphasised the need to improve the efficiency of existing salterns and minimise waste to adapt to such conditions, which may persist in the future. He also stressed the importance of establishing new salterns to meet the country’s entire salt demand.

“Kurinchantivu, near Elephant Pass, is a promising location,” he noted. “Historically, there was a saltern in the area, but operations ceased during the war. The site has the potential to host a 1,000-acre saltern, comparable in size to the one in Hambantota. Another opportunity lies in reviving the old saltern in Chemmani, which is currently non-operational, offering a chance to kickstart industries in the Northern region.”

Dr. Rathnayake explained that while the salinity of the seawater in Kurinchantivu is lower than in Hambantota, the location could still produce approximately 30,000 tonnes annually. He also recommended conducting studies to explore the feasibility of establishing salterns in the Eastern Province.

The senior lecturer at the Moratuwa University identified Panama and Palatupana, located near Hambantota, as areas with significant potential for salt production. He explained that the proximity to Hambantota ensures high salinity in the surrounding seas, where salt naturally forms.

He also highlighted the potential of salterns as eco-tourism attractions, noting the unique ecosystems they support. In other countries, salterns are popular tourist destinations due to the diverse wildlife adapted to high-salinity environments. “For example, flamingos thrive in these ecosystems,” he said.

Dr. Rathnayake pointed out that Sri Lanka’s salterns could also support the farming of Artemia salina, a species of brine shrimp. “These shrimp are highly valuable and widely used as animal feed, with a kilogram fetching approximately 15,000 rupees. Farming Artemia during off-seasons for salt production could be a lucrative venture. This would not only diversify income but also provide an opportunity to increase workers’ wages,” he explained.

He suggested further diversification by commercialising bittern, the bitter liquid left after sodium chloride crystallises. Bittern is used in Japan to produce tofu and can also be applied in industrial wastewater treatment. Other industries, such as manufacturing coconut fertilisers, caustic soda, and chlorine, could also be developed around salterns.

“By diversifying production and exploring these opportunities, salterns can become hubs for economic growth, bringing in more revenue and creating additional industries,” he said.