Mawlamyine, April (25)
Some salt farmers shut down the production of sun-dried salt before the end of the salt season as they are suffering losses amid declining prices, sources told Than Lwin Times.
The price of coarse salt, which was around 160 kyats per pound before Thingyan, dropped to around 110 kyats per pound after Thingyan.
With salt prices continuing to fall, some salt producers decided to close their salt fields before the end of the salt season, while others reduced production by nearly half.
A salt farmer said that, while the weather has been favorable and the yield of salt has increased, the price decline and significant increase in production costs forced him to halt operations.
Mon State makes sun-dried salt from October to mid-May each year, and the farmers shut down their operations just before the end of the salt season this year.
This year’s salt season sees a large increase in salt production, but most salt producers are unable to recover from a decrease in salt prices, price cuts, and fewer buyers in the market.
A salt farmer told The Than Lwin Times that the price of salt has fallen by more than 2/3 this year compared to the previous year, so it is not a good situation to continue salt production in the coming year.
Although the price of salt continues to fall, the production of food products that use salt has been reduced since the military coup, and so salt usage has declined.
On the other hand, since last year’s salt yield was low due to La Nina and farmers suffered losses, since the start of this year’s salt season, some salt farmers have reduced their operations, and some have stopped activities completely.
Sun-dried salt is mostly produced in the townships of Paung, Thanbyuzayat, and Ye in Mon State, with over 40,000 tons of salt produced annually and exported to different regions and states, including Yangon and Mandalay.
News – Than Lwin Times
Photo: BNI
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