Narinjara News, 16 February 2023

Even though there is an increasing demand for Rakhine’s earthenware in the market, the traditional industry may face extinction due to the shortage of skilled labourers, said DawMya Than, a potter from Tumyaungvillage under Kyauktaw township in Rakhine State.
“The traditional trade continues from generation after generation in the entire Rakhine state. Except ourTumyaung village, no localities arenow interested in maintaining the pottery business. Now because of the shortage of workers, it becomesvery difficult to sustain the trade,” she added.
Moreover, the relentless political and military crisis in the State have affected public life. Price ofvarious essential commodities is increasingday by day, but the earthenware workers get low wages. It compelled many skilled workers to leavethe country looking for a safe livelihoodoutside.
"The main problem is that there are a few skilled workers. When it became too difficult for them tosurvive in their villages, many of themleft Rakhine to work in China, Thailand, Malaysia, etc. So the market’s demand can not be satisfiedwith the small volume of workers,”added the lady.
Another problem is that the owners are facing the problem ofcapital investmentto expand the pottery industry.
"Every household can't do the pottery business likebefore. Some villagers areinterested in continuing the trade, but they do not have the needed capital. But we have a lot of buyers from othervillages. In earlier days, we usedto operate the furnaces every day. However,presently we operate those only once in a month. Since there are no more workers, the numberof people working in the business isgradually decreasing,” said Mya Than.

She informed that once every family in Tumyaung village used to make pottery items, but now most of themhave now given up the practice.
"We have altogether 130 households in our  village and most of them were once associatedwith the pottery industry. Now only 30 families are practicing it. I do not think the new generation will adoptthe profession. So there is apossibility that the traditional pottery industrywill extinct soon,” stated the lady.
The traditional Rakhine earthenware is still high in demand across the region, despite increasing use ofplastic materials and imports of potteryproducts.
“The customers come to buy those traditional items regularly. The problem is that there is no enoughworkers and hence we are producing inless numbers. We are actually unable to meet the demand,” she admitted.
Compared to last year, the demand for traditional Rakhineearthenware such asdrinking water-pots, clay cooking-pots, vases, steam pots and stoves continue increasing in themarket. Local pottery products have beenexported to other regions like Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Sittwe,
Myebon, etc through the facility of warehouses.
A potter from Myebon township, who stopped the pottery business, said that he wanted to continue thetraditional pottery business.
“I want to resume the business, but I can't do it alone. It's not the same as having a job or not having one.Even if I am going to start thebusiness again, there is no workforce. Thus a traditional craftsmanship may disappear some days”,he added.
Besides the shortage of workers, the clay and sand required for the pottery are also becoming scarce. Nowit is advised that some handicraftsfrom the national perspective should be preserved so that the future generation can know aboutthe traditional artistic profession.