‘No need for panic buying of salt,’ company chairman says

COLOMBO: Ceylon Salt Company Hambantota Chairman Nishantha Sadabarana said any chemicals floating in seawater after the MV X-Press Pearl mishap will not affect the production of salt whatsoever.

He also insisted that there was no shortage of salt in the country and said there was no need for panic buying on rumors of a shortage.

It was reported that consumers had purchased more salt with rumors stating that the fire on the distressed vessel would affect salt production in the country.

He also noted that no matter what chemical is mixed in seawater due to the shipwreck or the fire, all the unwanted chemicals are removed by the high heat of evaporation in salt production.

“The remaining sodium chloride alone is used for the production of salt so that it does not contain anything unfit for human consumption.

“Even now, seawater contains many different chemicals.

“Not only by this ship but also by other means various acids and chemicals are contained in sea water,”said the chairman. It is possible to extract all that by evaporation, he added.

Lankan media reports said people in many parts of the country including the Kalutara district hd started buying salt in large quantities following the rumor of possible sea water contamination after a ship carrying chemicals caught fire in the seas off the Colombo port.

Many shop keepers in Kalutara said in the report that customers have started storing packets of salts in an unprecedented way in fear of possible scarcity.