The information about 10 countries that export the most salt in the world is an interesting piece of knowledge. Salt is one of the most necessary ingredient of human diet as well as versatile and necessary material for industrial use. Historically, human civilization was either set up near the source of salt or at a place where trading of salt could happen easily. Scientifically known as Sodium Chloride, salt is very useful due to its quality of preserving food. Two main sources of salt are sea water and rock salt or sodium chloride mineral halite.
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In 2014, total salt exports in the world were $2.73 billion, which is an increase of 3.8% compared with 2013. Top 10 countries contribute about 60% of total salt exports in the world while about 157 countries exported some amount of salt during 2014 indicating fragmented nature of the market. Due to being the low-cost product, logistics, and distance of travel play an important role in the global trade of salt. In most of the cases, salt is exported only to nearby locations to save the cost of transportation.
Another most used and necessary ingredient in our diet is sugar. Sugar is the most popular sweetener in the world and plays a vital role in human life due to diverse use. Sugar also plays an important role in the global trade of agricultural commodity with more than $26.5billion as exports. To comprehend it better, you can have a look at our article on 10 Countries that export the most sugar in the world.
To understand salt export market scenario globally, we have ranked top salt exporting countries by dollar value criteria based on UN Comtrade data. Take a look at the countries that export the most salt in the world.
10.France – $89.9 million
History of salt production in France is about 2,700 years old. Activity is mainly focusing around the area of Guérande Peninsula, in the southern tip of Brittany. In 2014, France exported about 148 million kg of salt.
9.China: $90.7 million
China National Salt Industry Corporation (China Salt) holds a monopoly over salt production, pricing and trade in China. Salt exports in China are limited compared with domestic production due to large demand inside the country. Also due to regulated pricing, salt is expensive in Chinese domestic market.
8.India: $122.5 million
India is one of the major player in the global salt industry with exports as much as 5 million metric ton during 2014. India is producing salt for more than 5,000 years with Rann of Kutch on the West Coast being a large area of salt marshes. Interestingly salt also played an important role in the freedom struggle of India when Salt March led by Mahatma Gandhi protested against the British monopoly over salt production.
7. Spain: $128.7 million
Spain offers high-quality sea salt that is enriched with a variety of minerals and flavor compounds. Spanish salt is one of costliest in the world due to its premium branding. In terms of quantity, Spain exported 1.1 million metric ton of salt during 2014 across various countries in the world.
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6.USA: $147.8 million
The USA is one of the leading salt producers as well as exporters in the world. Salt exports by the US are mainly focused on North America and Latin America region, but also on the neighboring country of Canada.
5.Mexico: $164.1 million
Mexico has the world’s largest salt making facility at Guerrero Negro, which produces more than 9 million metric ton of salt per year. Mexican salt is exported primarily to Latin American markets, Japan, USA, Canada, Korea, Taiwan and New Zealand. In terms of volume of salt exports, Mexico is at the second position behind Chile with 9.05 million metric ton. Not a surprise that Mexico finds a place in the list of 10 countries that export the most salt in the world.
4.Chile: $173.9 million
Chile is one of the largest producers of salt in Latin America as well as globally. Salt extracted through rock salt mining is exported to a number of countries in the world. In terms of quantity, Chile ranks first with 9.96 million metric ton salt exported during 2014.
3.Germany: $198.5 million
Germany is one of the major salt producing countries in the world. During 2014, Germany exported more than 2.7 million metrics of salt to a number of countries in the world.
2.Canada: $198.7 million
Canada benefits from huge reserves of salt; especially Western Canada, Ontario and Atlantic Provinces, which are major salt belts in Canada. As a result, Canada exported more than 5.7 million metric tons and became one of the top countries that export the most salt in the world.
1.The Netherlands: $317.9 million
The Netherlands exported more than 4.2 million metric ton of salt during 2014 while in terms of value it is the largest exporter of salt in the world. The mines of at Hengelo and Delfzijl are one of the oldest salt belts in Netherlands. Write to us, and tell us – were you surprised to see that the Netherlands tops this list of countries that export the most salt in the world?
