Key facts
- Salt farmers in Indonesia's West Java province are benefiting from an El Niño-driven drought.
- The extended dry season has significantly increased salt production in areas like Cirebon.
- Cirebon's salt production reached nearly 600 metric tons in July, a substantial rise from 25-30 tons last year.
- National salt production is projected to increase due to the prolonged dry weather.
- Crop farmers are being advised to adjust planting schedules due to drought risks.
Salt farmers in Indonesia's West Java province are experiencing a significant boost in production due to an intensifying El Niño climate pattern, which has brought hotter and drier conditions. This extended dry season, expected to peak in August and persist into early 2027, is ideal for the low-tech methods used in salt evaporation ponds. Farmers in areas like Cirebon are harvesting substantially more salt compared to previous years when shorter dry seasons and La Niña patterns impacted yields. While salt producers anticipate a bumper harvest, traditional crop farmers are being advised by the Indonesian weather agency to adjust their planting schedules due to the drought risks. The increased salt output is seen as a blessing by farmers like Dadang Darmawan, who wish for longer summers to maximize their earnings.