Salt Prices in Mon State Increase Following Flooding
By NETWORK MEDIA GROUP (NMG)
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
The price of raw salt has risen in Mon State following catastrophic flooding that destroyed much of the salt production in the region.
“Currently the price of raw salt is 250 kyat (US$0.16) per viss,” Win Htein, chairperson of the Mon State Salt Business Association told NMG, referring to a measurement equivalent to 100 ticals or 1.6 kilograms.
He added that the price of salt is typically less than 200 kyat per viss.
“Salt production is hugely affected by the flooding. A small amount of salt has remained in the hands of salt makers after the flooding,” Win Htein explained.
Some 4,500 tons of salt remain in Mon State. Salt required for commerce will need to be imported from Irrawaddy Region.
Salt sellers predict that the price of the mineral will continue to rise until January 2020.
Khin Soe, director of the Salt and Oceanic chemical production and sales department in Mon State, said that even though salt production projects have been damaged in Mon State, ample salt supplies remain in other regions.
According to Khin Soe’s department, some 4.7 million viss of raw salt and nearly 10,000 viss of post-processed salt in Pa Nga and Karop Pi villages in Thanbyuzayat Township were lost in the first week of August because of heavy rainfall. Some 60 salt storage buildings in Mawlamyine were also lost.
Pa Nga, Karop Pi, Setsel and Kyaik Khame villages are well-known salt-producing communities in Thanbyuzayat. In Paung Township salt is processed in Htan Pin Chaung village, and in Ye Township, Palai Key relies heavily on salt. All three townships experienced major infrastructural damage due to flooding last month.
