Pekua representative: Salt farmers have started entering the field in Pekua of Cox’s Bazar. Hundreds of salt farmers are working in the fields despite the intense heat of the sun. This time, as the price of salt is good, they entered the field with enthusiasm and interest. Such a picture can be seen on the surface in Sundaripara village, Rajakhali Union. At that time, they demanded not to import salt.
It is known that Pekua has the potential to produce salt on about 12,000 acres of land this season. Among the seven unions of the upazila, Uzantia, Magnama, Rajakhali, and some parts of Pekua Sadar produce about 7 thousand salt farmers. Those salt farmers have already started the field maintenance work. Rajakhali Union salt grower Anwar Hossain said that if the weather is favorable, new salt will be produced in the next 15–20 days. Salt grower Zahir Uddin said that salt is produced in two ways in the upazila. Meanwhile, one is the traditional method, and the other is the production of white salt through polyethylene.
Currently, salt is being sold at the field level for Tk 450–500 per maund. Sirajul Mostafa, president of the Pekua Upazila Salt Cultivation Association, said that if the farmers can be encouraged to cultivate salt using the polythene method, the level of production will increase in the next salt season. It will be possible to meet the demand for salt in the country and export it abroad. He demanded the government not import salt from abroad. According to Bisik sources, there is a target of about 5 lakh metric tons of salt production in Pekua Upazila. If the weather and environment are good, this target can be increased.
