The Pangasinan Salt Center is set to supply 6,940 bags of 50-kilo agricultural grade salt fertilizer in the provinces of Pampanga and Aurora for the Philippine Coconut Authority’s (PCA) fertilization program.

The two provinces are the latest additions to the areas being supplied by the 473-hectare salt farm, located in Barangay Zaragoza, Bolinao town and owned and managed by the provincial government.

Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Nestor Batalla, in a phone interview Monday, said the salt center produced around 6,100 metric tons of salt this year, hence the capacity to produce PCA’s requirement.

“We have started cleaning the salt beds and we will start the production for the new cycle on the first week of November. We are targeting to produce around 8,000 metric tons until next year,” he said.

“Salt produced in Pangasinan is high in sodium chloride and has undergone analysis before the notice to proceed will be issued by PCA.”

The PCA planting and replanting program aims to fully revitalize the coconut industry by planting 100 million trees from 2023 to 2028.

Amid the Philippines being an archipelago, 93 percent of the country’s salt requirement is imported from China and Australia. (PNA)