Salt prices hike to over K200 per viss

The price of salt in Mon state has hiked to over K200 per viss, according to the Mawlamyine Commodity depot.
In the second week of March, the price of salt has risen above K200 per viss. On 17 March, the raw salt price (normal) ranges from K214-K220 per viss (a viss equals 1.6 kilogrammes) while the raw salt (pure) is K250 per viss.
Last January, the raw salt price (normal) hit around K80 per viss while the raw salt (pure) fetched around K100 per viss.
Nevertheless, this year’s salt season is better than last year. Last year, the raw salt price (normal) was around K60 per viss while the raw salt (pure) was around K85 per viss. At the last 2021 opening season of the salt, the salt prices were not good, and the yield loss of the salt was due to the early rain.
Although the price of salt is mounting in the late season, there is less salt stockpile in the hand of local farmers and traders. On the other hand, rising fuel oil prices have also pushed up transport costs.
Therefore, the last 2021 salt season can be said to be a year of low yields and losses for Salt farmers. Yearly, Mon State produces nearly 40,000 tonnes of sun-dried salt beyond magnesium chloride (MgCl2), iodized salt (I2) and table salt (NaCl).
The 2019-2020 statistics showed 14 iodine salt processing plants and one factory each for magnesium chloride (MgCl2) and table salt (NaCl) production, with the production capacity of 60 tonnes of magnesium chloride, 204 tonnes of table salt and 12,132 tonnes of iodized salt. — NN/GNLM