NGA PU DAW, Myanmar (IRIN) - Salt farmers across southern Myanmar are slowly returning, but still need assistance almost seven months after Cyclone Nargis struck, leaving close to 140,000 people dead or missing.

The multi-million dollar industry plays a critical role in the local economy, which was devastated by the category four storm on 2 and 3 May. More than 9,712 hectares or 80 percent of all salt fields in Myanmar’s badly affected Ayeyarwady Delta were affected, according to the Post-Nargis Joint Assessment (PONJA). The fields are particularly vulnerable to tidal surges such as accompanied Nargis, as they are on the lowest ground.

According to the government-controlled New Light of Myanmar newspaper, 24,214MT of raw salt were destroyed.

“The storm destroyed all my property. Now it’s time to begin salt farming, regardless of whether we get any loans from the government. Otherwise our lives will never return to normal,” said Poe Sar, a farmer in his 70s.

Staff at Poe Sar’s are working overtime to get things back on track, repairing damaged pumps, water containers and motor engines. But there is a price. Poe Sar has no choice but to pay his workers double what he paid last year. “We need to pay them more this year as everything here is more expensive,” he explained.

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