Crude Salt Market in March    

In March 2009, the price of crude salt in China was relatively stable. In early March, due to the increasing operating rate of caustic soda and soda ash units, the demand for crude salt increased. However, the price of crude salt was maintained at the same level in the whole month. In the last twenty days of March, sales of caustic soda and soda ash became sluggish again, thus the price of crude salt hovered around its cost line.
    In March, the price of sea salt was stable, and the ex-factory price of high quality sea salt in Shandong province was about RMB175-185/t, while in Liaoning province and Tianjin was RMB220/t. The inventory of sea salt reduced gradually, and some enterprises began to produce new sea salt in March.
    Well salt enterprises conducted their production according to order. In mid March, the trading price of well salt dropped down. In late March, the quoted price in Hubei province was reduced to RMB220/t. Lake salt manufacturing enterprises in Qinghai province had a large sales volume, they used to trade with long-term clients at a price lower than the bulk trading price. They also occupied a large market shares in Wuhai and Hohhot of Inner Mongolia, thus, lake salt enterprises in Inner Mongolia had to decrease their selling price. At the end of March, the ex-factory price of lake salt from Inner Mongolia went down to RMB170-180/t, while the bulk ex-factory price of lake salt from Qinghai province was RMB180-200/t.