Kuyalnik Salt Works LLC plans to invest over $20 million in a project to extract excess salt from the Kuyalnik Estuary and process it into table salt, according to the publication SEEDS.
The Odesa Regional Military Administration and the company have signed a memorandum of cooperation on the implementation of investment and environmental projects in the Kuyalnik Estuary area. The Odesa Regional Military Administration has officially confirmed the investor’s intention to invest over $20 million in the project.
According to SEEDS, Kuyalnik Salt Works LLC was established in 2026. The company plans to remove surplus salt from the estuary and process it into food products. The estimated production capacity is approximately 300,000 tonnes of salt per year.
This volume accounts for around three-quarters of Ukraine’s salt imports in 2025. According to the State Customs Service, last year Ukraine imported around 415,000 tonnes of salt worth $49.6 million.
Thus, the implementation of the project could significantly reduce Ukraine’s dependence on imported edible salt and, once production reaches full capacity, lay the groundwork for the resumption of salt exports.
The need to develop new sources of salt increased sharply following the closure of the ‘Artemsol’ plant in Soledar in 2022. Prior to the full-scale invasion, Ukraine was a major producer and exporter of salt; however, following the loss of access to its main production facilities, it became heavily reliant on supplies from abroad.
The project on the Kuyalnik Estuary also has an environmental dimension. According to the Odesa Regional State Administration, the memorandum provides for the development of environmental infrastructure, the introduction of modern environmental solutions and the implementation of ‘green’ projects. The issue of utilising the liman’s salt resources has been under consideration for over a year, involving the Cabinet of Ministers, scientists and relevant experts.
Before commencing industrial extraction, the company must still complete the procedures required by law, in particular an environmental impact assessment, and obtain the necessary permits for the use of natural resources. The Kuyalnik Estuary has special environmental and resort status.
Original source: SEEDS — ‘Investor plans to invest over $20 million in processing salt from the Kuyalnik Estuary for food use’. (cia)