Moulmein -- Consumers in Mon State are now buying imported salt from Thailand because of the fall in salt production in Burma.

Many salt fields were destroyed by rain during the dry season this year. The imported salt in Mon State is coming from Thailand through the Maesot Thai-Burma border. It is also being sold in other areas of Burma, a local business source said.

“The price of salt is about the same, which is 400 Kyats for a Viss. The Thai salt is better and takes longer to evaporate. I prefer using the Thai variety,” said a housewife from Ngan Tay of Moulmein, the capital city of Mon State.

A fisherman in Asin of Ye Township, however, said, “I prefer to use the local salt for our fishing industry”.

Salt from Thailand has changed some of its colour but ours is better to preserve fish and maintain the natural taste.

In October, 2008, Maj-Gen Tha Aye visited Mon State and the SPDC authorities met salt producers.  The meeting on the production of sun-dried salt and iodized salt was held in Moulmein when the General invited salt entrepreneurs from Thaton, Thanbyu Zayat and Ye Townships.

Last year, the price of salt tripled when Burma was lashed by Cyclone Nargis, which damaged salt-producing stretches as well as rice fields. More than 1,000 acres of state-owned salt fields and 23,430 acres of privately owned salt fields were destroyed in the cyclone.