Clam sellers in Taungup Twsp unhappy about low prices 

By DMG 27 Sep 2021

DMG Newsroom
27 September 2021, Taungup 

Clam catchers and clam breeders in Arakan State’s Taungup Township are uneasy as clam prices have fallen this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the country’s current political situation. 

The price of clams was as high as K3,500 per kilogramme in Taungup Township in previous years, but this year it is only K2,500 per kilogramme, according to clam dealers. 

Ko Maung Maung Yee, a clam farmer from Khayaing village in Taungup Township, told DMG that the price of clams has dropped and clam breeders like himself are not able to do business. 

“Due to falling clam prices, we have to sell only K2,500 per kilo this year. It is difficult for us to get our capital back because we have to hatch clams and pay labour costs,” he said. 

In addition, due to a scarcity of clams, river clam hunters who caught more than 10 kg of clams per day last year are finding it increasingly difficult to obtain just 5 kg of clams per day this year. 

Traders who send clams abroad are also facing losses due to traffic restrictions, said Ko Shwe Mya, a clam dealer in Taungup Township. 

“We also face financial losses due to delays on the road when exporting clams. Now transportation costs have risen significantly. We are also having a hard time because of the declining price of clams, but we cannot buy at a reduced price. In the long run, it will certainly not be convenient for us,” he explained. 

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began last year, traders in Arakan State who export marine products such as fish, prawn, crab and clam have been facing financial losses and some dealers have shut down their businesses.