Salt pans Mauritius

Salt production in Mauritius is something of history itself. While the government has had to diversify the economy from the once sugar production almost monopolization, salt production has remained the same throughout the years. And why not since the climate offers the chance for it to be made naturally with the minimum use of technology or even import of this important culinary ingredient. Salt production dates back to the French period and today the tradition of its making almost two centuries later on has not changed much. Salt production in Mauritius is made in salt pans; these are small, square, shallow basins made of cobblestone that are filled with sea water. Most of the salt pans can be seen in Tamarin on the west coast of the island where the hot and dry environment provides the ideal conditions for salt making. They cover an area of about 30 hectares and can be seen right on the road side during a drive. The water is pumped directly from the sea which is not far away and allowed to evaporate in the basins. After a few days of drying up in the open air, white crystalline clumps of raw salt are obtained. About 5000 tonnes of salt is made per year through this method. Because salt making depends on climatic conditions, the highest load is in summer (November to March) and lowest load in winter (April to October). Once collected, the raw salt is kept in a storage area nearby temporarily and then taken to a refinery plant. The refinery “Raffinerie de L’Ouest” then removes impurities from the salt and smashes into finer particles. The salt is then packed and put on the market. Salt production remains a tradition in Mauritius and it can be seen in the smiles of the people as they shovel away the salt lumps into wicker baskets with their large brimmed straw hats to protect them from the strong sun rays and their rubber boots. This culture of the Mauritians has been providing the island with its salt content since a long time and can be expected to do so as long as the sun keeps shining down!