With the price of nipa palm thatches rising in Chaungzone Township, Mon State due to high demand from Yangon, Bilin, Kyaikhto, and Mudon townships, nipa palm businesses are earning a good income, according to locals.
“I have been in this business for a long time, and I have never seen prices as high as the current level. Now, nipa palm thatches are selling well even in the rainy season. Previously, nipa palm thatch businesses were flourishing only in the early monsoon period. Nipa palm thatch makers are doing well now due to the high demand for nipa palm thatches,” said a nipa palm thatch business owner.
Normally, nipa palm thatch businesses are suspended during the rainy season. The price of 10 nipa palm thatch sheets was K350, but now, it has increased to K500 due to high demand.
“Earlier, we used to suspend our businesses during the rainy season. But now, the owners of nipa palm farms are doing well and workers are not difficult to find. At least, one third of the profits are left over after the payment of wages and input costs. Over 6,000 sheets of nipa palm thatches can be produced per day, depending on the harvest,” said Daw Win Win Maw, a nipa palm thatch business owner.
“During the rainy season, it is difficult to get jobs and some farm owners do crop farming. In our village, nipa palm farm owners are continuing their nipa palm thatch businesses even in the rainy season, and we are earning between K7,000 and K8,000 per day by making nipa palm thatches. Therefore, we have a convenient source of livelihood even in the rainy season,” said a nipa palm maker.
Most of the residents in the villages of Chaungzone Township are doing well with the nipa palm thatch business. Earlier, when the Baluukyun-Chaungzone bridge had not been constructed, the Mudon, Ye, and Kyaikkhame townships were purchasing Chaungzone nipa palm thatches only through marine transport. Now, the bridge has made it convenient for the townships to purchase nipa palm thatches from Chaungzone. —IPRD
(Translated by La Wonn)
