ChaungU supplies 100,000 more wheat straw hats than last year

Over 100,000 more wheat straw hats from ChaungU Township, Monywa District, Sagaing Region are supplied to the market as against the year-ago period.
Makers sent over 100,000 wheat straw hats to other regions last year, whereas the volume has increased to over 200,000 this year.
“The price of wheat straw is K5,500 per viss (a viss equals 1.6 kilogrammes). The wheat straw hats are distributed across the country,” said U Soe Tint from Ngalontin village.
The villagers practise the barter system. They clear the wheat farms free of charge, give the harvested crops to the farm owners and take the wheat straw instead.
The makers produce ten different hat designs. The wheat straw hats are made step by step. The straws are cut, bleached and braided. The semi-finished hats are painted and the string is installed at a hat. The finished hats are sundried in the last stage before being placed in the market.
The prices moved in the range of K1,600 and K2,500 per wheat straw hat last year. The prices have risen to K2,200 and K3,000 per hat depending on the size. The hats were primarily delivered to Yangon, Myitkyina, Pakokku and Myingyan cities in previous years. This year, they are increasingly supplied to the Homalin, Mawlaik, Phaungpyin, Phakant and border towns between Myanmar and China.
ChaungU’s wheat straw hats are of good quality. It can withstand up to three to five years without fading colour.
The number of wheat farms dropped in the previous years as the growers chose watermelon and muskmelon over wheat. This year, the wheat farming activities improved depending on market situations. There are over 200 makers in Ngalontin, Mahtitha and Sinmyay villages in ChaungU Township. — Lu Lay/GNLM