CNI News
11 July 2023
As the number of young people who wanted to go on working in the pottery industry, a traditional business of Myanmar, became very few, they were worried that the business would disappear, said those who do the business of pottery.
At present, although pottery industries are being operated, because the number of youths who want to work in the pottery industry become very few and raw materials are scarce, he is worried that the pottery industry will disappear, said a trader from Soe Thitsar Pottery Industry in Bago Region to CNI News.
"Firewood as raw matterials is scarce. Young people don't want to work in this kind of job. Current workers are those who have been working since before. Because they are old, they can't work hard. So, potteries may be gradually scarce." he said.
a woman making a pottery
Although the pottery business was doing well, because the transportation charges were expensive, the profit was low, said Ma Sandar from Doh Yoe Yar Pottery and Various Types of Terracotta Retail and Wholesale Trading Business in Sagaing Region.
" Raw matterials are scarce. Transportation charges are costly as well. Transportation charges are expensive because transporters don't dare go. If the truck fare was 100,000 Kyats in the past, now it is 200,000 Kyats or 300,000 Kyats. The business is going well. But in the past the profit was two times. If we bought potteries for 5,000 Kyats, we would be able to sell them for 10,000 Kyats. Now if we have to pay 8,000Kyats to buy, we don't dare sell at a higher price because we are worried that customers won't buy. As you know, we are not selling foodstuff." she said to CNI News.
As potteries are used not only in rural areas but also in towns and cities, pottery business is doing well, according to the people doing in the business of pottery.
potteries
In Sagaing Region, because transportation charges are very expensive, pottery industry is almost dying out, said Ma Sandar.
" We had to buy earth from Oe Bo Ward before. Now we have to buy earth from the Shwe Min Wun Industrial Zone. So, we have to pay more for transportation. If you add the costs for firewood and workers, you can't make much profit from pottery industry in Sagaing. Sagaing pottery has become scarce gradually. They rarely produce potteries once a month only." she said.
Traditional potteries and terracottas are being produced in Ayeyarwady, Sagaing, Bago Regions, Pathein Township, Dawei Township, Chin State, Twante Township and Rakhine State. Potteries produced in Myanmar are not only sold in local but also exported to Thailand and China, said the people who do the business of pottery.
Apart from scarce workers, scarce raw materials and expensive transport, regional instability has worsened the pottery industry, so they are worried that pottery industry will die out, said the people from pottery industry.
