Ywangan coffee growers expect higher prices

Coffee beans are being dried under the sunlight.

Taunggyi November 28

Coffee growers in Ywangan of Danu Self-Administered Zone in southern Shan State are expecting a poor harvest because of bad weather, but are optimistic about the prices.

“We had had a bad weather and there was a lot of rain. So, the harvest may decline compared to last year’s. But we hope to get higher prices if the product meets quality,” said local coffee grower U Tun Tun Oo.

A pyi of coffee seeds fetched for up to Ks-900 (pyi is a Burmese unit of measurement and one pyi equals to 2 1⁄4 qt) in local market, and but Ywangan Mya Zedi Coffee Exporters Group buy coffee at higher prices, and local coffee growers therefore hope to receive good prices.

“The harvest is low compared to  last year. We have not yet estimated the volume of the harvest. But we think it will be enough for export.” said a responsible of Ywangan Mya Zedi Coffee Exporters Group.

The group prepares to purchase 4 tons of coffee seeds, export three tons to foreign market and the remaining one ton in the domestic market.

Last year, the group could export three tons of premium quality coffee to US at a price of $-7,000 per ton and hopes to export six other foreign countries besides US this year. Coffee is mainly grown in Ywangan and Pinlaung in southern Shan State as well as in PyinOoLwin. The harvest is usually in January and coffee is exported in April.

The Myawady Daily