Myanmar Sterculia gum price declines

The price of Myanmar Sterculia gum locally called Saekalamat has dropped recently in the market and the growers face losses, said U Zaw Min, chairman of Sagaing Region Sterculia Production and Exporter Association.
“Presently, the price of Sterculia gum is K5,000 per viss in the market. The high-quality Sterculia gum prices range between K7,000 and K8,000 per viss. However, we haven’t got any high price yet. This time in 2019, the Sterculia gum price was K40,000 per viss. Every year, the price of the gum is high. But this year, the prevailing price of the gums is only K7,000-K8,000 per viss. Now, the growers are encountering losses. Even then, they didn’t get back the production cost because of the pandemic and the political situation,” said U Zaw Min.
In the market, the Myanmar Sterculia gums are sold for K28,000 per viss before the COVID-19 outbreak. The Sterculia gum market slightly declined when COIVD-19 started to break out, and its price was only K8,000 per viss.
There are about 30,000 acres of Sterculia gum plantations in the Sagaing region, and the gums are chiefly grown in Ahyardaw and Monywa townships.
The Sterculia gums are also grown in Monywa, Ahyardaw, Sagaing, Shwebo, Yinmabin, Katha, Kanbalu, Kalay townships in Sagaing Region. — Lulay/GNLM