Ayeyawady outperforms last year’s production with 149,500 tonnes of salt in 4 months

Over more than four months, 149,500 tonnes of sun-dried salt have been yielded in Ayeyawady Region, exceeding last year’s production, said a salt farmer from Ayeyawady Region.
The region’s salt production was just 142,000 tonnes during the previous salt season, which concluded at the end of May last year. However, according to statistics from January to 6 May this year, 512 salt farmers have operated salt farming on 21,111.05 acres, and so far, the production has reached 149,500 tonnes.
“Even before this year’s salt season ends, the production has exceeded the last year’s. There is still sun so that we can harvest salt. Due to the impact of El Nino, it may not rain, so maybe we will go on. However, the capability to harvest may decline after 15 May because the sea will rise, and workers may be unable to harvest due to the sweltering weather. In previous El Nino-affected years, the monsoon arrived after 25 May,” he said.
Harvesting continues as the temperature is still high; therefore, salt production is expected to be more than 160,000-170,000 tonnes by 15 May, he said.
Ayeyawady-produced salt can still not be exported to overseas markets; it can just be sold in the domestic market. Despite the fact that there are rising transport charges and other expenditures, the surplus in production can offset these costs, he said.
Salt farming starts in October, and harvesting begins in January. The production is the highest in April and May, and if the weather is fine, the salt production in April alone can be larger than the three-month production — January, February and March. — MT/ZS