2006 SALT SALES DECLINE REFLECTS MILD WINTERS

Alexandria, VA (March 19)…. Sales of US dry salt slumped 28% in 2006 to 23.1 million tons due to mild weather in the first and forth quarters of the year, the Salt Institute reported today. The Salt Institute is a non-profit association representing the salt industry in the U.S. and globally.

Salt industry revenues fell 11% to $1.3 billion, according to the Institute’s 2006 U.S. Salt Sales report. Figures exclude transportation costs.

Weak highway salt sales led the decline, dropping 8.3 million tons from last year’s record sales of 20.5 million tons. Revenues for all non-highway salt categories uniformly advanced and managed a $65 million overall gain, though sales eased.

Market	2005 Short Tons (000)	2005 Revenues ($000)	2006 Short Tons (000)	2006 Revenues ($000)
Food	1,585.7	242,402.0	1,563.4	259.714.0
Agricultural	1,645.6	92,444.5	1,517.4	96,206.6
Highway	20,483.1	543,213.6	12,128.8	307,762.7
Chemical	2,023.6	58,959.2	1,885.9	60,398.4
Water conditioning	3,703.6	358,930.6	3,590.2	385,546.9
Totals	32,055.2	1,472,685.6	23,102.8	1,301,797.0

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Note: Data on U.S. salt sales is on the Institute’s website.

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