World Salt

World demand to rise 2.9% annually through 2015
Global demand for salt is projected to climb 2.9 percent annually through 2015 to 327 million metric tons, valued at $13.6 billion. Increased salt consumption in most parts of the world will more than offset expected contractions of demand in Western Europe and Japan. Growth in chemical manufacturing output will fuel the majority of additional demand between 2010 and 2015, largely due to the continued rapid expansion of chemical production in China. Salt suppliers will also benefit from the shale gas drilling boom currently underway in North America, which will boost chloralkali output in the US and Canada after an extended period of weakness.

China, India to remain key salt markets
In 2010, China was the largest consumer of salt, primarily because of the huge size of its chemical industry, although food processing and livestock salt use is also substantial due to the nation’s 1.3 billion residents. China accounted for one-fourth of salt demand worldwide in 2010 and is projected to be the fastest growing national market through 2015. India’s salt consumption is also forecast to grow well above the world average.

Chemical output by facilities in India is forecast to rise faster than in any other major producing country through 2015, leading to sizable increases in associated salt demand. As in China, growth in the size of India’s population will also contribute to overall salt market gains.

Chemical manufacturing is largest market for salt
Chemical manufacturing is by far the largest market for salt, accounting for 55 percent of all demand in 2010. The vast majority of demand in this market is generated by chloralkali and synthetic soda ash producers, which use salt as their primary feedstock. The Asia/Pacific region accounts for over one-half of the salt consumed by the chemical industry. Western Europe and North America also have sizable chemical industries, and in 2010 they accounted for 18 percent and 15 percent, respectively, of global chemical manufacturing salt use.

Salt production to grow fastest in developing regions
Solar evaporation is the most popular method of producing salt, accounting for 38 percent of 2010 industry shipments. It is the most economical method of producing salt in areas with favorable weather conditions, including a number of nations in the Africa/Mideast, Asia/ Pacific, and Central and South America regions. Salt production is forecast to grow fastest in the Asia/Pacific and Africa/Mideast regions, and as a result solar evaporation will account for an increasing share of global salt output through 2015. Rock salt and brine production will also post moderate increases through 2015. However, their respective rates of growth will lag solar evaporation, and these types of salt production will comprise decreasing shares of world output.

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