Chinese demand for coconut is rising for making coconut shell charcoal, according to coconut traders.
“There is coconut shell charcoal. It sells well in the export market. Empty coconut shells are left after taking out the white flesh. Basically, carbon is produced to make charcoal. The Chinese buy as much as they can get. The market is big,” said U Than Sin of Bo Ohn Tee Coconut Trading in Pathein.
As summer approaches, coconut prices and its demand are rising.
“As summer approaches, coconut price rises. If it rises by K 100 or K 200 at lower market levels, the same amount goes up in the towns. The wholesale price is around K 1000 a coconut while the retail price can be K 1200, 1400 or 1500 depending on the variety,” he said.
Mandalay is the biggest coconut market in Myanmar and the buyers from China and Thailand purchase coconuts from Mandalay.
“We send coconuts to Mandalay and then they go to China. We send to Myawady for Thailand. There are also boat buyers from Bangladesh. Export is seasonal, only after the rainy season is over. Until then, we sell in the domestic market,” a trader who distributes over 1000 tonnes of coconut in the market every year.
Thit Taw/ZN
