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Untimely rains damage salt farms in parts of Arakan
Untimely rains damaged some salt farms in Kyaukphyu, Pauktaw, Sittwe and Thandwe townships on Sunday and Monday.
04 Apr 2023
DMG Newsroom
4 April 2023, Sittwe
Untimely rains damaged some salt farms in Kyaukphyu, Pauktaw, Sittwe and Thandwe townships on Sunday and Monday.
“I have produced salt that will sell for around 10 million kyats. Around 5 million kyats worth of salt were lost in the rain,” said salt farmer U Aung Myo Hset from Gangaw Village in Kyaukphyu Township.
There are around 90 salt farmers in Gangaw Village, and around 20 of them have reported losing at least half of their investments.
Approximately 30 acres of salt farms were damaged by the untimely rains in Ngapyitet Village, part of Pauktaw Township.
“We have to farm salt again. I am sad that our hard work ended in vain,” said salt farmer U Maung Lone Chay.
It will take at least one week to regenerate the damaged salt farms, said salt farmers.
At the turn of the century, there were nearly 2,000 acres of salt farms in Arakan State. The number has declined by half over the past 22 years as many have quit the industry, locals say.
Some, however, have returned to salt farming lately as Myanmar resumed exporting salt to Bangladesh this year after a long halt in the trade. Others have also increased their sown acreage with the hope of fetching good prices in exporting to Bangladesh.