One local salt producer in the Arakan State town of Kyaukphyu has set sights on exporting its product and increasing its market share at home, thanks in part to funding for equipment upgrades from the Danish government’s Responsible Business Fund.

U Htet Naing Htut, a member of the Kyan Daing Aung salt factory’s Board of Directors, said recent technical upgrades to the factory’s processing machinery had boosted output threefold. Without adding more workers, there has been an increase in production from 100 tonnes to 300 tonnes, he explained.

“We’ve shown our plan to an organisation under the Directorate of Industrial Supervision and Inspection. And we’ve got aid for 40% of the project,” he said, referring to the Danish funding.

Daw Yi Yi Than, a local housewife, said she is looking forward to being able to buy locally made, high-quality salt at what she hopes will be more affordable prices than she currently pays for imported alternatives.

“I have to buy imported salt at a high price. I am glad when I hear we can get local salt of an international standard,” she said.

Salt from the factory will be distributed to Minbu and Magway townships in Magway Region, as well as to neighbouring Chin State.  

The factory sells its salt at K90 per viss, while imported salt fetches a price of K400, according to DMG research, offering a sense of the potential profit to be had if local manufacturers can improve the quality of their product.

The Salt Manufacturers Association has previously warned that the local industry could be driven out of business by a growing preference for imported salt among Myanmar consumers.