Pakistan’s Pink Salt Can Earn Billions in Exports

The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) stated that the export of pink salt has the potential to bring in billions of dollars. President of the ICCI, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, stated that Pakistan is the world’s sole producer of pink salt and underlined the need for government assistance for the value addition of this salt. According to him, this would allow Pakistan to greatly boost its exports and make greater income in the global market. Bakhtawari expressed this viewpoint during a meeting with a group from Miracle Salt, a US-based company headed by Nadeem Ahmed. As per Bakhtawari, despite the fact that the global market for pink salt is projected to be approximately $12 billion, Pakistan’s present yearly export of this salt is only around $70 million, far less than its full potential. He said that Pakistan now exports 90 percent of its raw pink salt at a low price of $60-80/ton, but other countries earn much larger profits by providing value to Pakistan’s raw pink salt and selling it to other markets. He urged the federal government to establish a minimum export price for pink salt and to assist the business community in improving value-addition capabilities, therefore increasing export potential. Nadeem Ahmed indicated his desire to invest in Pakistan’s pink salt to develop value-added goods during the discussion, citing the country’s huge export potential in the global market. He also stressed the importance of the government developing a comprehensive policy for pink salt and regulating its commerce and exports to attract more international investment.