Plum seeds see price hike on Chinese demand

According to traders in Mandalay, the prices of plums seeds produced in Myanmar in the Mandalay market these days have increased dramatically due to good demand from China.
There are three types of plum in Myanmar. These seeds are produced only by grinding and producing from the fruit. At the beginning of March, the price of the plum seeds was only K18,000 per viss. In the third week of August, the price has increased exponentially to K90,000 per viss, said U Soe Win Myint, an owner of the Soe Win Myint Brokerage from Mandalay.
“This year’s plum season saw a record high of plum seeds produced by mills due to China’s demand. It is not found that there is any useful application in the Myanmar market. I heard that these plum seeds are manu- factured in the Chinese market for pharmaceutical purposes. That’s why we are getting amazing prices that we have never seen before.
“In the market, a basket of chickpeas costs K60,000. The price of a basket of sesame seeds is K80,000 but the price of a viss of plum seeds is K90,000.
“In addition to the good prices, the small industries are operating, so the workers also get jobs. Because the price is so good, I would like to suggest that the plum tree should be planted in open ground instead of habitual growth,” U Soe Myint Win elaborated. The plum fruit is a crop that appears only once a year, usually starting from the spring season. This plant prefers sandy soils and hot seasons and is most commonly seen in Mandalay Region, Sagaing Region and Magway Region.
It is reported that plum seeds are crushed in various grinders in cities such as Yenangyaung, Chauk, Mahlaing and Meiktila. — Min Htet Aung (Mandalay Sub-Printing House)/GNLM