Salt traders in Mon State in Myanmar have approached Japan with interest in buying coarse salt from Myanmar. At present, the salt merchant has sent samples to Japan, and the samples will arrive in Japan within two months.
A salt merchant in the town of Mon Bang Dan Biao Zaya said that Japan had approached him in April this year, expressing their desire to buy coarse salt and asking to send samples. Since August, 1 container of samples has been sent. Representatives of Japanese businessmen expressed the hope that 30 containers with a total of 600 tons of coarse salt could be reserved for them during this year's open season. Whether to continue the acquisition depends on whether they recognize the quality of the sample, as well as cost accounting and other factors.
Myanmar's coarse salt has been ordered by Japan and South Korea, and businessmen from both countries have only begun to contact this year.
Myanmar's salt farms and salt industry are mainly concentrated in Ayeyarwady Division, Mon State and Rakhine State. Mon State is the second largest salt-producing region in Myanmar, with more than 4,500 acres of salt drying fields producing more than 50,000 tons per year. Starting in December every year, new salt starts to be marketed.
At present, in the Yangon retail market, the ** price of a handful of salt is about 1,500 kyats, and the wholesale price is about 900 kyats. In the salt-producing provinces of Mon State and Ayeyarwady, the price of a towful of salt is about 700-800 kyats.
In addition, in response to South Korean orders, Myanmar salt merchants plan to try to export 20 tons of coarse salt first. South Korea said in September that it was interested in buying Burmese coarse salt and signed an agreement with Myanmar salt merchants. Arrangements are being made for export, and 20 tonnes will be exported first. A salt merchant in Mon State said South Korea had asked for 40 tonnes of coarse salt to be exported, but they planned to export 20 tonnes before making a decision based on South Korea's response.
South Korea is said to produce only 3 million tons of salt a year, but uses up to 7 million tons a year, so it needs to be imported. The purchase of coarse salt from Myanmar began to be approached this year.