In Russian Empire salt extraction constituted a state monopoly which was strictly regulated by Salt Law of 1781 (including following complements to it). After the annexation of Bessarabia to Russian Empire in 1812, it was decided to keep on granting salt extraction to concessioners. The Local government set up in 1819 in province an Administration of Saline Lakes, not provisioned by the general law, and thus limited in powers. Efficient organization of the process of salt extracting by private entrepreneurs determined a high competitiveness of the salt extracted from lakes of the province in terms of price, considering the fact that the salt trade was free of restrictions. Thus, the salt from Bessarabia was able to create a substantial competition to the salt extracted in the Crimea, from which Russian government levied a very high tax. Committee of Ministers responded by imposing custom duties on salt exports from Bessarabia to territories lying over the Dniester, and since 1830 took over the whole local industry and wholesale trade with salt. Thus, by ukase of 26 May 1830, Emperor Nicholas I approved the submission of Bessarabian saline lakes to fully legally established Administration of Saline Lakes and private manufacturers were urged to evacuate the already extracted salt deposited near the lakes. The extraction of salt was afterwards strictly regulated in terms of quantity and price. The salt extraction flourished, but the lack of serious investments, especially required for natural disaster prevention, culminated with the total flooding of the lakes in 1850, which put an end to salt industry in Bessarabia