Thanakha cultivators from Ayadaw Township, Mandalay Region, are facing difficulty because of low demand and scarcity of the skilled labours, said U Kyaw Moe, chairman of Ayadaw Township Thanakha Cultivation, Producion, Export and Sales Association.
Thailand Thanakha cosmetics are challenging our Myanmar Thanakha market. In fact, they are fake thanakha cosmetics, for they do not have any thankha powder. Moreover, Thanakha cultivation is costly because of high wages of skilled labours and high prices of pesticides. We are finding new market to solve this problem. Moreover, we are planning to form Myanmar Thanakha Federation to protect our Myanmar Thanakha market, he added.
Ayadaw Township is mainly dependent on cultivation of Soo species of the Thanakha because nothing can be grown in Ayadaw Township. Thanakha is on the list of forest products which poses a big Thanakha cultivator because forestry products manufacturing is prohibited nowadays.
Ayadaw Thanakha Cultivation, Producion, Export and Sales Association was founded to promote the living standard of Thanakha cultivators. The association provides the eight basic cosmetic production training courses and micro management training courses to the members during the past 2 years. To overcome these difficulties, the association has planned to produce the value-added Thanakha powder, Thanakha lotion and other Thanakha cosmetic. Then, the association has plans for Thanakha cosmetics to penetrate international market.
Currently, the association has issued the smart cards to their members for travel around the country on Thanakha business trips. Also, the association is trying to rid Thanakha of the list of the forestry products.
Thanakha is cultivated mostly in Ayadaw, Pakokku, Yezagyo, Pauk and Myaing. About 75 per cent of Thanakha are produced from Ayadaw Township.
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
