Palm Wood Products: High Demand Among Tourists

In Myanmar’s Central Region, the utensils made of palm wood become popular among foreign visitors. Palm wood products ranging from household utensils and furniture are made from the left over palm wood slices from building homes. These products now become marketable at the shops in Bagan-Nyaung Oo areas. Palm woods are used in substitution of timbers and bamboos as their prices are higher. Palm field owners used to sell the old palm trees which no longer produce palm juice for building houses. Each palm tree cost about 15,000 to 20,000 kyats. The local carpenters produce palm wood furniture, and it takes about 10 days to finish the chair. Locals said although it doesn’t cost much for capital, it needs much patience and time to make a palm wood product. Since the finished products are quite expensive, there are less buyers from the locals, but foreign tourists are very much interested to buy them. The chair made of palm wood cost about 120,000 kyats.