Community solar salt production in Goa, India

Abstract

Traditional salt farming in Goa, India has been practised for the past 1,500 years by a few communities. Goa’s riverine estuaries, easy access to sea water and favourable climatic conditions makes salt production attractive during summer. Salt produced through this natural evaporation process also played an important role in the economy of Goa even during the Portuguese rule as salt was the chief export commodity. In the past there were 36 villages involved in salt production, which is now reduced to 9. Low income, lack of skilled labour, competition from industrially produced salt, losses incurred on the yearly damage of embankments are the major reasons responsible for the reduction in the number of salt pans.Salt pans (Mithagar or Mithache agor) form a part of the reclaimed waterlogged khazan lands, which are also utilised for aquaculture, pisciculture and agriculture. Salt pans in Goa experience three phases namely, the ceased phase during monsoon period of June to October, preparatory phase from December to January, and salt harvesting phase, from February to June. After the monsoons, the salt pans are prepared manually for salt production. During high tide, an influx of sea water occurs, which enters the reservoir pans through sluice gates. The sea water after 1–2 days on attaining a salinity of approximately 5ºBé, is released into the evaporator pans and kept till it attains a salinity of 23 - 25ºBé. The brine is then released to crystallizer pans, where the salt crystallises out 25 - 27ºBé and is then harvested.Salt pans form a unique ecosystem where succession of different organisms with varying environmental conditions occurs. Organisms ranging from bacteria, archaea to fungi, algae, etc., are known to colonise salt pans and may influence the quality of salt produced.The aim of this review is to describe salt farming in Goa’s history, importance of salt production as a community activity, traditional method of salt production and the biota associated with salt pans.

Mining valuable minerals from seawater: a critical review

“…3). 56 The first pan called the reservoir pan is used for receiving seawater during tidal influxes and is connected to many evaporator pans (i.e. second set of pans).…”

Desain dan Layout Tambak Garam Semi Intensif Skala Kecil di Lahan Terbatas

“…Sebagai perbandingan, yang disebut tambak skala kecil di India adalah yang berukuran di bawah 10 hektar, skala menengah dari 10 sampai 100 hektar. Mani et al (2012) menyebutkan bahwa hampir seluruh tambak garam di Goa, India termasuk dalam kategori di bawah skala kecil karena luas lahannya kurang dari 4,04 hektar dan dimiliki oleh perorangan. Berdasarkan informasi tersebut maka sebagian besar tambak garam rakyat di Indonesia yang berukuran kurang dari 1 hektar dapat dikategorikan di bawah skala kecil.…”

Economic impact of climate change on the sea salt industry in Brazil's highest producing region

“…Sua produção consiste no bombeamento da água salgada para tanques expostos a céu aberto, interligados entre si, de modo que a salmoura gerada no primeiro tanque seja transferida para o segundo e assim sucessivamente (Zhang et al, 1993;Korovessis e Lekkas, 2009;Korovessis, 2009). Quando a salmoura atinge 27,5°Be (°Be: graus Baumé), essa é transferida para os cristalizadores, local no qual ocorre a precipitação dos cristais de sal (Silva, 2001;Korovessis, 2009;Mani et al, 2012).…”

“…Estudos empíricos têm sugerido que a exposição dos evaporadores a temperaturas elevadas, horas de insolação e ventos naturais contribuem positivamente para a evaporação contínua da água salgada e para a formação dos cristais de sal (Jhala, 2006;Laganis e Debeljak, 2006;Mani et al 2012). Temperaturas elevadas durante horas diárias aquecem a superfície da água provocando sua evaporação, enquanto que o vento se encarrega de fazer o transporte desse vapor, garantindo a continuidade do processo de evaporação (Moitta et al, 2005;Tamimi e Rawajfeh, 2006) Ravizky e Nadav (2007) estudaram a produção de sal marinho a partir de salmouras geradas por usinas de Sea Water Reverse Osmose (SWRO) em Eilat, Israel.…”

“…Para Zhang et al (1993), condições meteorológicas tais como: intensidade da radiação solar, temperatura, velocidade do vento e umidade relativa exercem efeitos importantes sobre o processo de evaporação e, consequentemente, sobre o volume de sal produzido por evaporação solar. Na mesma direção, Mani et al (2012) atribuíram o sucesso da produção desse mineral em Goa, Índia, à intensa radiação solar e ventos fortes.…”