The yield of banana in early this month was high, but its price slightly declined, according to the Myanmar Banana Producer Association.
A bunch of Phee Gyan banana, which was sold at K1,500 last year, now can only be sold at K1,200 to 1,300, and the Thee Hmwe banana, sold at K2,000 in the previous year, now can only be sold at K1,000 to 1,100, said U Saw Mahn Aung Thaung from the association.
“Although the yield of banana was high, its price and market got slightly down. I think it is because of a decline in local consumption. Bananas are not exported to foreign markets.” said U Saw Mahn Aung Thaung.
Most of the banana growers started their farming when the rains fell, therefore, the yield time of their bananas are the same. The bananas of only some farmers who can afford to pump water into their farms yielded early, and fetched a high price, he added.
With the use of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Myanmar Banana Producer Association cultivated more than 40 acres of banana, but the sales of the organic banana were not well in the market due to its high price. Therefore, the association is selling only natural bananas with its market price.
Currently, there are some 200,000 acres of banana plantation in Mandalay Region; most of them are in Kyaukse, Singaing, and Myittha; and about 10 12-wheeled vehicles are transporting the bananas to Yangon daily. — Man Htet Aung (Mandalay Sub-printing house) (Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun)
