UNICEF rep concerned over iodine deficiency

Production of substandard salt is a major problem for Azerbaijan, the UNICEF representative in the country says.

Hanaa Singer told a scientific conference, “Non-iodized salt: problems and prospects,” on Thursday that experts in various countries have researched the use of iodized salt in households. The studies revealed that 87% of Azerbaijanis are suffering from iodine deficiency.

At the same time, she said some positive changes have taken place in the country of late. The studies revealed that whereas only 40% of people were using iodized salt in 2000, the figure has reached 70% in 2007. If the indicator is brought to at least 90-91%, iodine deficiency will be partly eliminated in Azerbaijan, Singer said.

Economic Development Minister Heydar Babayev said in his remarks that the ministry was working to counter the production of salt that lacks iodine by some enterprises. He said that although over 20 businesses are producing industrial salt in the country, the government is not content with their operation.

“Salt is collected mainly around the Masazyr Lake in Azerbaijan. The government now plans to build an enterprise producing iodized salt meeting the most up-to-date standards in the area. 10 million manats (over $11.7 million) have already been allocated for the construction operations.

“Turkish and Russian businessmen iodize Masazyr salt and sell it back to us. But once the new factory is built, it will be exporting salt to other countries itself,” the minister said.

He noted that the lake holds vast reserves that allow to produce a million tons of salt a year.

There are currently no factories producing iodized salt in Azerbaijan. The country is meeting its demand for the product on account of imports.

Khalyg Mammadov, head of the State Service on Consumer Market Oversight, says that salt imported to the country does not meet the required standards either.

“Salt samples of 18 types have been tested in labs so far, and only five of them contained a normal concentration of iodine,” he said.

The studies also found that most of the salt sold in the domestic market as a foreign product is produced domestically by primitive means, Mammadov added.*