What it is
Sodium chloride made mostly by solar evaporation of sea water (about 82%) and inland brine; used as food salt and by caustic soda, soda ash and chemical plants.
Industrial saltIodised salt (IS 7224)Double fortified salt (IS 16232)Common salt (IS 253)Rock salt
Where India produces it
- Gujarat
About 87% of India's salt; 227.68 lakh tonnes in 2021-22.
- Rajasthan
16.9 lakh tonnes in 2021-22 (inland brine).
- Tamil Nadu
21.15 lakh tonnes in 2021-22.
- Andhra Pradesh
3.3 lakh tonnes in 2021-22.
- Himachal PradeshMandi
Rock salt mine at Drang (Mandi); no output in 2023-24.
Where imports come from
None: India is the world's third-largest salt producer and a net exporter.
Rules before you buy or sell
- Salt works are licensed and regulated by the Salt Commissioner's Organisation, Jaipur (Ministry of Commerce and Industry).
- Edible salt must meet FSSAI rules; IS 7224, IS 253 and IS 16232 are on BIS's product-certification list.
- Check the current import and export policy for your exact 8-digit HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) schedules.
Storage and handling
Store on raised, covered platforms; salt absorbs moisture and corrodes steel nearby.