STUDY OF SALT POND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT IN THE DISTRICT OF PANGKAJENE AND ISLANDS

Abstract

BACKGROUND : The people's salt industry in the Pangkajene and Islands Regency should be taken seriously by the local government so that salt production increases and the quality of salt produced is by consumption and industrial salt standards. This study aims to assess the existing conditions of salt pond management in Pangkep Regency as the basis for the study of the sustainability of the salt industry in Pangkep Regency. This research was conducted in 3 (three) districts, namely Marang, Labakkang and Bungoro. METHOD: The research was conducted for six months, from April to September 2023. The research data were collected using several methods, namely Focus Group Discussion (FGD), laboratory testing, observation, survey, structured interview and literature study. The research data were analyzed descriptively and presented as pictures and narratives. RESULTS & DISCUSSION: The resulting data were compared with related literature studies. The results showed that the local government needs to make efforts to increase the motivation of educated young people to be involved in the management of salt farms so that this business can be sustainable. The salt production process in Pangkep Regency is still very dependent on weather conditions, so it cannot be produced throughout the year. Therefore, intervention is needed from the local government and related parties to introduce technology to improve the salt production process. The role of institutions is very important to ensure the distribution and market absorption of salt produced by farmers. Institutions are also very important in providing production facilities to support increased production and quality of salt produced by farmers. CONCLUSION: The local government needs to encourage educated young people to get involved in managing salt farms to ensure sustainability. Technology should be introduced to improve the production process, as it is currently affected by weather conditions. Institutions play a crucial role in distributing and marketing salt and providing production facilities to support farmers in increasing production and quality.