India is the third largest Salt producing Country in the World after China and USA with Global annual production being about 230 million tonnes. In a short period of time sufficiency was achieved and made a dent in the export market. The per-capita consumption of salt in the country is estimated at about 12 kg, which includes edible as well as industrial salt. The current annual requirement of salt in the country is estimated to be 80 lakhs tones for industrial use. Caustic soda, soda ash, chlorine etc., are the major salt- based industries. Besides about 20 lakhs tones of salt are exported every year.

Private sector plays a dominant role contributing over 95% of the salt production, while the public sector contributes about 2-3%. The co-operative sector contributes about 8% whereas the small-scale sector (less than 10 acres) accounts for nearly 40% of the total salt production in the country. The worldwide salt production is currently 200 million tons and exceeding the mark rapidly. The worldwide industries manufacture this huge quantity of salt not only for consumption but for non-edible and industrial purpose as well.

Almost sixty percentage of salt production in the whole world goes to the industrial usage. Only the remaining forty percent is used for miscellaneous purposes that major constitutes the application in the form of food additives.