Bangladesh is set to lift restrictions on salt imports, causing farmers to fear competition from India and Myanmar.
If there is something abundant in impoverished Bangladesh, it is salt. But there is not enough to feed a growing demand.
Bangladesh will lift import restrictions on salt in January next year to meet industrial demands and comply with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.
Bangladesh has restricted salt imports for the past years to protect local farmers, falling in violation of WTO rules which state that no trade restrictions can be imposed on items except for religious, ethical and security reasons.
The restrictions will be lifted by the end of the year to meet a growing domestic demand, but local farmers complain they may not be able to compete with India and Myanmar, which are strong on salt production.
Allowing imports could also push down prices.
Last year, Bangladesh produced more than 1.2 million tonnes of salt in the Cox's Bazar district, about 450 kilometres from Dhaka. Officials at the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) said the country is almost self-sufficient in salt production.
