South Korea decides to use sea salt reserve

On Wednesday, South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans announced the use of sea salt reserves to cope with recent price increases and increased salt demand.

Up to 400 tons of salt will be distributed in discount store chains and traditional markets across the country from Thursday to July 11, and will be retailed for about 20% less than the June consumer price, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

Sea salt prices rose by more than 10% year-on-year this month, due to a decline in production amid unfavourable weather conditions, according to Korea Agricultural, Fisheries and Food Trading Company.

Demand for sea salt has also recently risen in South Korea, where some shoppers and retailers stock it for fear of supply shortages and potential health risks resulting from Japan’s planned discharge of radioactive water from the inactivated Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Tokyo plans early next week to drain radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant at sea, which was hit by an earthquake that triggered a massive tsunami in 2011.