Salt production has been an indigenous industry of the coastal regions since ancient times.A class of people of Chittagong known as Mulangi used to boil sea water to produce salt since ancient times.Their salt production area was called 'Tofal'.During the Mughal period, two government departments called 'Nimak Jaigir Mahal and Nimak Ayaz Mahal' controlled this industry.
Salt production runs along the coast in Banskhali upazila. Coastal salt farmers come down to the field every year after monsoon.The salt production season begins at the end of the monsoon shrimp season.50,000 salt farmers cultivate in various unions along the coast of Bay of Bengal.
Salt is being cultivated in 15 thousand hectares of coastal areas of Saral, Gandamara, Shekerkhil, Puichhari, Chanua, Kathria, Khankhanabad and Baharchhara Union of Banskhali upazila.Salt is made by drying the water with the heat of the sun.Basically, this salt production season lasts from December every year to June of the following year.