CNI News
19 November 223

An MoU has been signed to export coarse salt produced in Mon State to South Korea according to the Mon State Salt Business Association.

Due to South Korea's demand for salt, an MoU was signed with a company from South Korea on the last week of September and arrangements were made to export salt from Myanmar to South Korea, U Khin Soe, a salt expert from Mon State, told CNI News.

" The chairman of the cable car company in Kyaiktiyo offered a South Korea company to export salt from Mon State to South Korea. And then the company came to Myanmar and inspected the quality of the salt from Mon State. After that, they signed an MoU." he said.

Although three million tons of salt is produced in South Korea each year, its demand for salt is about seven million tons reportedly.

While seeing salt industry

Preparations must be made to meet the required standards so that the salt produced in Mon State can be exported to South Korea, said salt businessmen.

If salt is exported to South Korea, salt farmers will have a market and they will carry out to meet the required standard, Ko Kyaw Lwin, a salt farmer from Thanbyuzayat Township, told CNI News.

" That salt can be exported is an opportunity for us. South Korea wants to import salt from 10 to 20 percent of their needs. That South Korea wants to connect with Myanmar is a good sign. The price of salt fetches a good price and will be stable. Salt farmers in Mon State will carry out to get the required quality for export 30 percent of salt farmers in Mon State are performing to get the quality that can be exported." he said.

At present, as salt farmers in Mon State have sold their salt that they have stored, the price of salt is a bit falling and the price of coarse salt is about 200 kyats per viss (1 viss equals to 3.6 lb).

More than 50,000 tons of salt are produced annually from more than 4,500 acres of salt fields in Mon State and the salt is used in Mon State, Bago, Tanintharyi and Yangon Regions reportedly.