Salt from the Kuyalnyk Estuary to Enter the Moldovan Market

A new food and industrial salt production facility is being prepared in Ukraine’s Odesa region, using raw material from the Kuyalnyk Estuary, according to Logos Press. Part of the output is expected to be exported to Moldova and Romania.

Following the shutdown of Ukraine’s largest salt producer, Artemsil, Moldova has covered its salt deficit through imports from Romania, Turkey, Egypt and other countries. However, imported salt has repeatedly caused quality issues for the food industry.

Salt from the Kuyalnyk Estuary naturally contains 95–96% sodium chloride, meeting Ukrainian second-grade standards even without processing, and can be refined to premium quality. Production will rely on solar evaporation in open basins, a method widely used in southern Europe and compatible with the estuary’s natural conditions.

The project is being implemented by Alfa Grant, with expertise from former Artemsil engineers and Turkish salt evaporation specialists. Three production lines are planned: food-grade salt, water treatment tablets, and salt blocks for livestock. Tablet salt and salt blocks are intended primarily for export to Moldova and Romania.

IDR Comment

The Kuyalnyk salt production project should be viewed not only as an industrial initiative, but as a strategically important element of regional resilience in the Black Sea–Danube area. Following the shutdown of Ukraine’s largest salt producer, the emergence of a nearby, environmentally compatible source of high-quality salt significantly strengthens supply security for both Ukraine and neighboring Moldova.

The use of solar evaporation technology, widely applied in Southern Europe, demonstrates that economic development can be combined with minimal ecological impact when adapted to local natural conditions. This approach is particularly relevant for protected areas such as the Kuyalnyk Estuary, where preserving the natural balance is critical.

In a broader context, the project contributes to import substitution, shortens supply chains, and reduces exposure to geopolitical and logistical risks. Cross-border distribution to Moldova and Romania further highlights the growing importance of the Lower Danube and Black Sea region as a space for practical economic cooperation, even under conditions of heightened security challenges.