A salt price fall has prompted a number of solar salt farmers in Mon State to close their businesses.

Salt farmers say the price of solar salt – dried in the sun on salt flats – has been dropping, causing them to suspend their businesses before the end of the salt collecting season.

The price of raw solar salt was 160 kyats per viss (approx. 3.6 lbs) before the Thingyan water festival and then it fell to about 110 kyats per viss after the festival.

The solar salt farmers said that the production output this year was high as they received strong summer heat but they have had to close their businesses as they were facing falling salt prices and rising production costs.

Intense heat in this summer caused a fall in labour productivity at the solar salt farms, they added.

The solar salt season is from October to the middle of May every year in Mon State, but the businesses had to stop before the end of the season this year.

Most of the salt farmers could not recover from their losses, even though the output from their farms was very high this season, because prices were low and there were fewer buyers.

In contrast, last season salt production was low because of the La Nina weather effect. Many salt farmers incurred losses meaning that some had to reduce their output this year at the beginning of the salt season and some had to permanently stop their businesses.

Solar salt is produced in Mon State mainly in Paung, Thanbyuzayat and Ye Townships typically produces over 40,000 tons annually. The solar salt produced in Mon State is transported to Regions and States across the country including Yangon and Mandalay.

Mon State produces over 40,000 tons of solar salt annually. It is mainly produced in Paung, Thanbyuzayat and Ye Townships. Solar salt from Mon State is transported to the regions and states across the country.