“Under the arrangement of the Ministry of Commerce, we have visited Viet Nam and China. The moringa is used to treat a host of ailments such as anaemia, arthritis and other joint pains, diabetes; cancer; diarrhoea; stomach pain and epilepsy. At present, the drumsticks are growing with traditional methods. If we can get technical assistance from abroad, it will be more successful for drumstick plantation,” said U Myint Ko, a drumstick grower from Nyaung Pin village.
With the drumstick also known as moringa oleifera gaining markets abroad, the drumstick growers from Pakokku Township are happy.
The drumstick plantations were started to raise in 2018 with 400 plants per acre. Currently, about 11 acres of drumstick have already been planted. Also, over 20 acres of drumstick has been planned to grow. The drumsticks are growing with the drop water system. The drumsticks will be sent to Yangon Thiri Mingalar Market, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw.
The dried drumsticks and the drumstick leaves will be exported to Japan and China. Although Japan has also offered to import 500 tonnes of drumstick leaf powder every year, Myanmar still has to send the sample of drumstick powder to export only 50 tonnes because of low acreage of drumstick plantation in Myanmar.
The drumstick seed oil and leaves are manufactured as a product. Then, the farmers exhibited the products in the international expo, Myanmar-China friendship expo and Viet Nam products expo. We also got contact with traders from foreign countries in the expos.
India controlled 80 per cent of drumstick market in foreign countries while the remaining 20 per cent are operating with other countries. So, Myanmar is difficult to penetrate foreign markets. Myanmar needs to plant the quality drumstick to compete with other countries. So, Myanmar formed Myanmar Drumstick and Moringa Producers and Exporters Association.
According to the market condition, if we can produce high-quality products, the demand for our product will be high. Then the market will be stable. In order to plant the crops on a commercial scale, the officials and staff from Consumer Affairs Department in Pakokku district under the Ministry of Commerce is giving awareness talks to the local farmers in order to grow the high-quality crops,” said Deputy Director-General U Aung Mgg, deputy director-general of the Consumer Affairs Department. —Salai Ko Kee (M.A)
(Translated by Hay Mar)
