The farmers reported that a kilogramme of tobacco from Myanmar is priced at 250 baht in the Thai market.
Although the price last year was 200 baht after labour charges, the price has surged this year to 250 baht. Thus, farmers and tobacco growers have gained much profit, said a tobacco farmer from Kayin State, U Hla Myo, to The Global New Light of Myanmar (GNLM).
Tobacco plants can be grown from seeds in the silt located near creeks and rivers. It takes around two weeks for the seeds to germinate. When germination is complete, each plant must be grown in a hole. Tobacco can be harvested when the plants are six to seven months old and transported to the market after drying.
Currently, more than 35 acres of land are cultivated with tobacco; on average, an acre produces 324 visses of tobacco. Myanmar’s tobacco is primarily used for pharmaceutical purposes and as fertilizer in Thailand.
The buds of the plants are usually broken when there are nine leaves on a plant to ensure the quality and desired thickness of the leaves. The tobacco plants are harvested after four months of cultivation. The midribs of the harvested leaves are crushed and dried under the sun for three days in the Pyatho month or four days in the Tabodwe month. The dried tobacco leaves are stored together by binding them with thin bamboo strips.
Although tobacco is less popular among Myanmar people, it has medicinal benefits. Domestic cigar businesses use a lot of tobacco, and it is also used as an antiseptic for curing skin irritations. — TWA/TMT
