Indonesia’s K-SIGN salt project targets first harvest in November 2026

Labuan Bajo — Indonesia’s K-SIGN salt project in Rote Ndao, East Nusa Tenggara, has finished its first 616-hectare phase and is now undergoing production trials, with the government targeting a first harvest in November 2026, according to Indonesian media reports citing government officials.

Muhammad Qodari, head of the Government Communication Agency, said the first phase was complete and that the Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan, or Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, was testing output on the site, CNBC Indonesia reported on Sept. 2 and Sept. 3. A separate report by Detik quoted the same production-trial and November-harvest target.

K-SIGN stands for Kawasan Sentra Industri Garam Nasional, or National Salt Industry Centre Area. The project is part of Jakarta’s effort to reduce salt imports and build toward self-sufficiency by 2029, according to the reports.

What has been built

The first phase covers 616 hectares. Reports said a second phase of 751 hectares is planned, while the broader Rote Ndao development is described as a 2,000-hectare project with an estimated investment of Rp2 trillion.

One report also said the wider salt-industry centre planned for East Nusa Tenggara reaches 10,764 hectares. The reports do not explain in detail how that regional figure relates to the 616-hectare first phase, the 751-hectare second phase or the 2,000-hectare Rote Ndao project figure.

The project’s first harvest is being presented as a milestone for trial production rather than as proof that the full complex is ready for sustained commercial output. The reports do not give a harvest volume, a precise November date or a commercial operating timetable.

Why it matters

The government has framed K-SIGN as part of a wider plan to cut imports and strengthen domestic supply. CNBC Indonesia reported target output rising from 1 million tonnes to 2.5 million tonnes in 2026, 3.5 million tonnes in 2027 and 5 million tonnes in 2029, while imports would be reduced from about 2.6 million tonnes to zero by 2029.

CNBC Indonesia also reported that the project is designed to produce salt with sodium chloride purity of up to 97 percent. That suggests the ponds are intended to supply industrial-grade salt, even before all supporting processing facilities are finished.

Labour needs, customer contracts and laboratory test results were not included in the reports reviewed. The same reports did not set out when the 751-hectare second phase will finish construction or enter production.

The first phase is now in trial production, and the government’s stated target remains a November 2026 first harvest for the completed 616 hectares.

Sources

• CNBC Indonesia
• Detik