Ukraine looking to invest $20 million in new salt production

Kuyalnyk Salt Works LLC has secured a memorandum of cooperation with the Odesa Oblast Military Administration, committing to invest over $20 million in a new project. This agreement, reported by SEEDS on September 24, confirms the company's dedication to the project. Oleh Kiper, regional military governor, explained that the memorandum confirms the investor's intention to put more than $20 million into the project.

This investment comes after a year-long process involving thorough work and professional discussions with the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, scientists, and specialized experts. The Odesa Oblast-based Kuyalnyk Salt Works LLC was founded in August 2026, with the objective of extracting surplus salt from the Kuyalnyk estuary and processing it into food-grade salt.

The company estimates that potential annual salt collection could reach 300,000 metric tons, representing nearly three-quarters of Ukraine's 2025 salt import volume. Once the project reaches full capacity, it could not only meet Ukraine's food-salt needs but also significantly reduce import dependence, potentially restoring exports.

In May, the Chornomorsk salt plant in Odesa Oblast began producing food-grade salt, with a capacity of 15,000 metric tons of salt per month. Construction of this plant began in 2024. Prior to this, Ukraine's state salt monopoly, Artemsil, halted operations in May 2022 due to hostilities, leaving the plant in Russian-occupied territory.