Lahore:
Although India’s ban on Pakistani pink salt has opened up new opportunities for local dealers in other international markets, the true potential of the profitable sector remains unused, as Pakistan has not been able to develop a value -adding system for treatment and redirection until date.
A local salt exporter, Muhammad Riaz, revealed that even in the past, governments were asked to export Pakistan’s unique salt with value added, but no one took serious steps while India continued to market Pakistani salt as its own across global markets.
“Indian dealers are currently getting salt through Dubai. During Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, a proposal for Pakistan had been made to export salt directly to other countries rather than allow India to take advantage of it. Currently, Pakistani Salt exporters have to emphasize again that salt should not be exported as a raw material, but instead must be treated and treated and the fire, which gives Pakistan to increase exporters to increase exporters to increase exporters to increase exporters to increase exporters to increase exporters to increase exporters to increase exporters to increase exporters to increase exporters to increase exporters to increase exporters to increase exporters to To be to be treated, “Valiser,” worth noted Riaz.
Sources show that the ongoing political tensions between Pakistan and India have affected the trade seriously and pushed dealers on both sides to adopt new strategies. From November 2023 to October 2024, Pakistan remained a large exporter of pink salt.
During this period, 3,789 shipments of the Himalayas Salt were exported, marking a 10 percent increase compared to the previous year. By 2023, India had imported 462 tonnes of Himalaya -lighted salt from Pakistan, which rose to 642 tonnes in 2024. However, these numbers are still significantly lower compared to 2018 (74,457 tonnes) and 2019 (72,631 tonnes).
After India introduced a direct ban on the import of Pakistani salt in 2019, the trade was completely stopped. As a result, India lost access to the cheap pink salt it used to buy from Pakistan. However, Indian dealers continue to import this salt through other countries, redirect it and sell it under their own brands. Although the amount of trade has fallen, the indirect export of Pakistani salt to India is still underway. For years, India made significant profits by buying this salt at low prices and selling it too much more.
Earlier, India used to receive cheap salt via the Wagah Land route, but now it has to pay significantly more to acquire it. Since the complete suspension of trade through Wagah following the Pahagam event, relations between the two countries have become more and more strained. Meanwhile, Indian dealers have started importing Pakistani pink salt via third countries. In this way, Indian companies continue to trade Pakistani salt through indirect funds and earn profits through value added.
Following the Pulwama attack in 2019, India imposed a duty from 200 percent on Pakistani goods, which drastically reduced trade. As a result, the export of Pakistani pink salt to India became insignificant. By 2025, a complete ban was enforced for salt trading, and now it is expected that even indirect trade through third countries can stop.
Due to stops in the import of Pakistani Himalayan pink salt, local prices in India have risen. Salt, previously sold for 45 to 50 Indian rupees per year. Kg, is now price for up to 150 Indian rupees per day. Kg. Therefore, India is now looking against countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Iran, Australia and Afghanistan to meet its salt requirements.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s salt exports to China rose during the first five months of 2025. Exporters say that in Punjab, the miner and mineral department is active extraction of salt from mines and salt reserves have been rented to the private sector. This has enabled private companies to play a more active role in increasing exports.
“The government has to stop the export of raw salt completely and focus on value -added products,” asked Riaz.
