A total of 172,815 tonnes of salt were yielded in Ayeyawady Region during this salt season, which ended on 17 May, said a salt farmer from the region.

In this year’s salt season, a total of 514 salt farms with 21,166.41 acres of salt manufacturing generated 172,815 tonnes of salt from January until 17 May, when salt farms were closed in the region. This year’s production exceeded what was expected due to the El Nio effect, and that was a surplus of more than last year’s production.

“Salt farms were suspended on 17 May. The expected production was 165,000 tonnes, but the actual production was 172,815 tonnes. This year’s yield was even more than expected because of the El Nino effect. Last year’s production was 142,000 tonnes,” he said.

Salt season begins in October, but production starts in January. The production reaches its peak in April and May, and if the weather is fine, April’s production alone is more excellent than three months of production from January to March.

At present, salt generated from Ayeyawady cannot be exported to overseas markets; it is just transported to domestic markets. In the domestic market, the price per viss of salt is just K105, he said.

“When salt farms are halted, farmers need money to pay labour charges, so many people sell their salt, leading to lowering price. But those who have enough money stock their salt at warehouses if they don’t want to sell their salt at a low price, and in July and August, when the price gets stable and only stocked salts are left in the market, they sell their salt,” he said.

Ngaputaw, Labutta, and Pyapon townships have mainly operated salt farming in the region. Ngaputaw is the largest salt producer, and Labutta is the second largest salt producer.

MT/ZS

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