The price of salt in Chengdu rises quietly or the system reform of salt industry may break the situation.

More than four months after the news of canceling the state salt monopoly was confirmed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the market sales price of salt changed. Recently, the reporter of Economic Observer Network learned exclusively that the salt prices of major supermarkets in Chengdu have quietly increased.

The reporter of Economic Observation Network visited major supermarkets in Chengdu. The news was confirmed by supermarket staff. According to introduction, the price of salt of 250 g/bag rose by 0.5 yuan/bag to 1 yuan/bag, from the original price of 2 yuan/bag to 2.5 yuan/bag-3 yuan/bag.

A number of staff members said,"Price adjustment as early as half a month ago has begun, and with the location of different price increases should not be appropriate, suburban areas are generally higher than the city."

A senior supermarket chain official in Chengdu, who declined to be named, denied that the price increase was supermarket-led. The official stressed that "salt is a commodity controlled by the state. Although last year said to cancel the monopoly, after all, the policy has not yet been implemented, and supermarkets cannot raise prices without authorization."

However, the supermarket staff revealed that "accompanied by this round of price adjustment is the change of salt varieties, both from the previous ordinary salt upgrade to the current pure salt."

Sichuan Jiuda Salt Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. is located in Zigong City, Sichuan Province. It is the largest well and mineral salt enterprise group in China and one of the main suppliers of Sichuan salt. Insiders of the company told the Economic Observer Network reporter,"The company did start to adjust the product structure this year, in terms of terminal sales prices, but also according to the middle, high and low different price adjustments, some prices have indeed been raised."

A source close to the Sichuan salt industry management department told the Economic Observer Network reporter,"Since last year the relevant state departments confirmed that salt monopoly will be cancelled, Sichuan many salt companies began to prepare product structure and business policy adjustment, the current salt market price increase in line with this logic."

In November last year, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology revealed that it was stepping up research and formulation of salt industry system reform plan. The general direction of salt industry system reform was to separate government from enterprises and cancel salt monopoly. "Liberalize salt prices and match products according to market demand" is regarded as the key to the success of salt reform.

Some media also quoted insiders of the China Salt Association to disclose that the seventh edition of the salt industry system reform plan has been approved by relevant ministries and commissions at present. The new plan is divided into six parts, including abolishing salt monopoly and improving salt reserve system.

Public information shows that after China joined the WTO, only tobacco and salt were monopolized. In 2001, China began to implement salt system reform. As of 2008, different ministries and commissions have put forward five salt circulation system reform schemes from the initial salt management of the State Economic and Trade Commission to the salt circulation system reform scheme proposed by the Industry Department of the National Development and Reform Commission, but the final draft has not been formed due to various reasons.

At the end of September 2014, Wang Qiang, deputy director of the Department of Physical Reform of the National Development and Reform Commission, stated that "China's salt industry system reform is imperative."