CURRENTLY, nipa palms are selling well in the bamboo market according to the sources in Htantabin Township.
Since the price of nipa palms will increase in March, people have started buying to prepare in advance to make roofs and attached extensions using nipa palms.
“Nipa palm is selling well at the moment. Its price will increase when Thingyan is nearby. People have started making roofing and constructing annexes the next months. Sales will be better in March”, said a bamboo and nipa palm trader in Htantabin.
Nipa palms called ‘Dhani’ in Myanmar grow abundantly in the mangrove forest areas of Bogale, Pyapon District, and Ayeyawady Region. They are in high demand in the market during the pre-monsoon season. Dhani plants are grown evenly, about nine feet apart, on the shores where the tides fluctuate. After three years of planting, each tree produces about 10 to 25 branches, according to a farmer.
Dhani business is a seasonal business that makes money only once a year, and unlike farming, it does not need a yearly investment. After waiting for the whole rainy season, farmers can harvest their leaves in the summer to earn a profit. — Thit Taw/ZN
