Unexpected rainy weather caused by global warming is raising serious concerns for salt production in Sri Lanka.
Salt production requires at least 40–45 days of continuous sunlight, which is now increasingly rare due to changing climate patterns.
Sri Lanka experiences intermittent rainfall throughout the year, disrupting the traditional salt harvesting cycle.
Gayan Wellala, Chairman of National Salt Limited, explained that salt is harvested by solar evaporation of seawater collected in salt pans.
When rainfall exceeds 60–70 mm over time, salt deposits are washed away, significantly affecting output.
Since 2020, heavy rainfall has severely impacted salt production, causing output to drop from 30,000 tonnes to just 7,000 tonnes.
Wellala noted that while there is no definitive solution to this issue, National Salt Limited is implementing precautionary measures to boost production.
Despite challenges, Sri Lanka is almost self-sufficient in salt production under normal weather conditions, meeting an annual demand of 180,000 tonnes.
Major salterns in Puttalam, Hambantota, Elephant Pass, Mannar, and Trincomalee play a crucial role in the country’s salt industry.
Climatologist Malith Fernando warned that Sri Lanka is especially vulnerable to global warming due to limited infrastructure to combat its effects.
He added that rainfall patterns have become more intense over the past decade, worsening the challenges for salt producers.
