Salt production in Ayeyawady Region is sluggish due to frequent rains, according to salt farmers.

Input costs become higher as salt farmers have to prepare salt farms frequently due to rains. Currently, the price of raw materials needed to produce salt has increased to about Ks 200 a viss. Salt farmers worry that the price of salt may also decline as well as higher labour costs, coupled with rising general expenses.

They also worry they may loss input costs due to the climate change during this salt production season.

Salt production faces a delay for about one month due to rains. The salt production industry faces a shortage of labour. Expenditures become higher as labour costs, diesel prices and foodstuff prices also are increasing.

Thein Zaw Oo, a farmer from Labutta Township said: “As salt gets a good price, salt farmers get a tiny profit. But it is just a small percentage. The profit amounts to one-third of the total production costs. The average labour cost is Ks 5,000 per day this year. Last year, the daily labour cost was Ks 3,500 per head. This year, the labour cost for a man is Ks 5,000 and for a women, 4,000. The production cost has nearly doubled. We experience untimely rains which are inevitable. The production costs become higher due to rains.”

There are 11 salt production areas in Ayeyawady Region. The number of salt farmers has declined due to the losses after the storm “Nargis”.