Salt industry worldwide - statistics & facts

International trade

India exports the most salt of any country, transporting over 10 billion kilograms in 2020. The United States was the leading importer of salt worldwide that year, where it is used in industrial applications within sectors such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture and livestock, and chemical productions.

The United States imported about 16 million metric tons of salt in 2020, a decrease from 18.6 million the year before. As of 2020, the price of vacuum and open pan salt in the United States was estimated to stand at 215 U.S. dollars per ton, while the price of solar salt amounted to approximately 120 U.S. dollars per ton during the same year.

Global salt consumption

Americans' have been eating less salt since 2014, when there was a peak of a reported 55.6 million metric tons. Consumers in the U.S. tend to limit their food intake based on artificial sweeteners, sugar or artificial preservatives rather than salt. However, reports have shown that diets high in sodium do have some health risks, such as high blood pressure, stroke, or heart failure. The estimated average adult salt intake equivalent in the United States amounted to nine grams per day. In China salt consumption per adult was estimated to about 10.9 grams per day.

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