With the cessation of production of Europe’s largest salt plant “Artemsil” in Ukraine there was excitement and shortage of this product. Drohobych Saltworks, which remains virtually the only salt producer in Ukraine, is operating at full capacity.
In the near future, the plant plans to increase production by 20 tons per month, but this will not be able to meet the demand of even the Lviv region.
Ihor Nashchochych, deputy director of the Drohobych Saltworks, told ZAXID.NET that an additional pan (salt bath) was installed at the plant last week and is currently being tested, which should increase salt production. If earlier the enterprise produced 31-32 tons per month, now it expects to receive up to 53-55 tons.
This is the maximum that a saltworks can currently produce, although the demand for its products is much higher. To increase the number of products, the plant needs to be modernized at all stages of production. As the saltworks is a state-owned enterprise, the state has to finance its modernization.
“We do not have such facilities. We can take 50 cubes of salted brine a day, no more. To increase production, it is necessary to conduct gas, put large baths 10×12 m, drying drum, conveyors. This is a very large amount of money, “said Acting director of the saltworks.
The method of salt production in Drohobych differs from traditional production, as it was in Soledar. Here salt brine is pumped out of the bowels, then it is boiled on firewood in special baths – pans. This production process is more complex and expensive. Therefore, the cost of Drohobych salt was almost twice the price of Artemsoli.
However, since the beginning of the war, the demand for the products of Drohobych Saltworks far exceeds the industrial capacity of the plant. Currently, salt from Drohobych is purchased by large retail chains in the Lviv region – Arsen, Rukavychka and Silpo. The deputy director notes: everything they did was given away the next day. All goods are distributed in advance.
“For example, Lvivholod has 190 stores. Even if you give only two packages to all stores, you get almost 400 packages. It is almost 7 tons. And they are ready to take 20 tons. Silpo has 360 stores. Ask for 3-4 trucks. But we do not have such volumes, “explains Ihor Nashchochych.
Sofia Kancedal, who helped the plant with the promotion, emphasizes that Drohobych Saltworks has previously positioned itself as a producer of craft goods. Before the war, its salt was bought by restaurants from Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Lviv.
“We ordered restaurants that understood what salt should be like. They said that it was identical, and maybe even better, than the imported Maldon, which is three times more expensive, ”says Sofia Cantadal to ZAXID.NET.
The director of the saltworks Oleg Petrenko, when he headed the company, in parallel with the production announced the development of tourism and last year managed to implement several grants for tourist signage and paving the area for excursions. In addition to economic benefits, the company also has historical value. After all, this is the oldest enterprise in Europe, which has been operating non-stop since the 14th century using ancient technology – digestion from natural brine.