In 2021, China imported raw salt mainly from Australia, India and Mexico. Among them, the average import price of Australian salt rose by 17%, and the import volume rose by 34%. The average import price of salt in India increased by 58%, while the import volume decreased by 45%. The average import price of Mexican salt increased by 5%, and the import volume increased by 51%. With the aggravation of epidemic situation in India, the uncertainty of supply and demand increased, and the local shipping cost rose sharply, the cost performance of Indian salt decreased, and the proportion of total imported salt declined last year. With the decrease of India's supply, although Australia was also affected by the epidemic, the export volume of Australian salt increased. Mexican salt is mainly supplied to fixed customer groups, with long transportation distance and high comprehensive cost. Driven by better domestic industrial salt demand, Mexican salt imports have also increased. According to the analysis, the epidemic has an impact on local logistics and transportation, leading to the increase of market operation and supply uncertainty, which is one of the main reasons for the change of China's raw salt import pattern in 2021.

The main salt production time in South America is the first and fourth quarter of each year, with a small amount of self-consumption. Mexican salt is mainly exported to Japan, the United States and other places. In recent years, under the influence of Indian salt, the quantity of imported Mexican salt in China is generally at a low level. In 2021, despite the rising import market, the average transaction price of imported raw salt was at a relatively stable level because some Mexican salt contracts were two-year long orders. As the total amount of imported salt in India has been greatly reduced, the attention of Mexican salt market has increased to some extent, which has pushed up the import demand of ink salt, and the total amount of imported salt has reached a high level in recent years.