Ahmedabad: With iron deficiency being a primary cause of anaemia in Gujarat, salt maker and marketer Tata Chemicals on Tuesday launched the country's first iodine plus iron fortified salt in the western state where the deficiency has been found in more than 55 per cent women and 70 per cent children.

The iron-fortified iodised salt has been developed by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, Tata Chemicals said in a statement here.

Priced at Rs 20 a kg, it marks the entry of iron-fortified iodized salt in Gujarat, after a 20-year research journey on double fortification technology and premix led by the NIN. This technology was offered to Tata Chemicals under a long-term MoU after due studies on bio-availability across the population strata conducted and published by NIN, the company said.

Speaking on the new product, R Mukundan, Managing Director, Tata Chemicals, said, "Via Tata Salt Plus, we turn our focus to help our consumers fight iron deficiency anemia as well by offering an affordable, organic way in which to help meet established daily iron and iodine requirements.”

Ashvini Hiran, Chief Operating Officer, Consumer Products Business, said, "With about 64 per cent market share in the organised national branded salt segment, Tata Salt has a retail presence at more than 11 lakh outlets across India."