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| Bird watchers will know that the Polychnitos salt pans are normally flooded in spring providing ideal conditions for birds in autumn and the Kalloni salt pans are flooded in autumn, providing ideal conditions for spring birds. Consternation this May therefore when the Polychnitos pans were not flooded. The reason wasn't hard to find. Increased international competition in the salt market had led to a mountain of unsold salt. The company had decided to cease production at Polychnitos and perhaps also at Kalloni. We contacted the Mayors and the Nomarch with the following message: No salt sales ->no water in pans ->no birds -> no birdwatchers ->economic losses
After much pressure and thanks to the negotiating skills of our own Lefteris Papafilipou the company agreed to provide water for one year but not to fill the centre pans and hence not to make salt. This is far from satisfactory.
Salt making is too important to Lesbos to be left to the vagaries of the international salt market.
Postscript In the last few weeks the salt at Polychnitos has been sold and the threat of closure is lifted for the moment. This breathing space must be used to work out a long-term sustainable solution.
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