Myanmar: Villagers Turn to Charcoal Trade to Tap Chinese Demand

Jan 3, 2018 | Khin Su Wai, Myanmar Times
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Charcoal demand has risen over the past two years after the Chinese opened a banana plantation across 20,000 ares of land in Myitkyina, not far from the Myanmar China border. The plantation owners use charcoal as a cheaper substitute for chemical fertiliser. Now, around one in every 700 villagers in Tarlawgyi is involved in the charcoal business. The villagers usually collect firewood from a nearby forest and produce the charcoal at home, relying on rudimentary equipment and simple processes.