The collapse of tea market,

Plunges tea farmers into crisis

Press Release 6th June, 2011

Ta’ang (Palaung) Working Group has revealed and released a briefing paper on the huge economic crisis
that Ta’ang people are facing in 2011 due to the decline of tea prices and the collapse of the tea market.

Although the tea price was good and many tea traders bought tea during the Shwe Pyi Oo (first harvest),
one week later the price of tea fell sharply and only a few traders were buying tea. Consequently, the tea
market became very weak and tea production almost came to a halt. Tea production is the main source of
income for over (600,000) six hundred thousand Ta'ang people.

As the main source of income of the Ta’ang people is in crisis, the local population are facing many
economic, social, educational and health related problems. These problems, have forced many Ta’ang
people to migrate within Burma and to other countries.

According to the local people, almost all the villagers from around Namhsan and Man Ton Townships are
leaving to work in China. “In our areas, Captain Than Htun and Na Gar Pyan (Flying Dragon) tea
industries monopolize the tea market and tea farms have plunged into crisis. Therefore almost everyone
in our village goes to work in China. This year the tea price is low, a lot of rain made the tea mature
quickly and people are not allowed to produce charcoal, so people have to find any way they can to make
ends meet.”

Burma’s new military government and other organizations have not addressed the crisis that the Ta'ang
people are facing as a result of the decline of the tea industry. Therefore, the Ta'ang (Palaung) working
group has produced this briefing paper highlighting the problems that Ta'ang tea cultivators are facing.
Our objective is to inform people and to help solve these problems in the Ta’ang area.

“The Burmese new military government should review its economic principles and policies. In addition
they should allow the tea market to be independent and stop the restrictions and exploitation of the tea
business. Ultimately, the root causes of the problems that the people of Burma face are political crisis, to
address this, the regime must begin to engage in a genuine political dialogue,” said Mai Aung Ko, a team
member of Ta’ang (Palaung) Working Group.

This briefing paper can be viewed at: www.palaungland.org , www.palaungwomen.com

Contact: 66 (0)80 118 4479, 66 (0)82 225 1569