Salt producers must now add iodine to their product or face losing their business licence after the government passed a Prakas banning sales of non-iodised salt.

The move aims to tackle iodine deficiency, which is considered the leading preventable cause of intellectual and developmental disabilities in the world.

Cham Prasidh, the Minister of Industry and Handicraft, made the announcement on Friday during a workshop on the use of a new label for iodised salt.

“All salt producers must add iodine to their salt, from now until end of the year,” the minister said. “If any producer fails to abide by the Prakas, they will face legal action or will have their business licence revoked temporarily.”