CNI News
22 June 2023
When paddy is grown the rain rice season this year, workers that plant rice are highly paid more than previous years. Because rice prices are going up and rice planter workers are scarce, when paddy is grown, rice planting workers are earning 12,000 Kyat a day, said Daw Mya Mya Soe, a local of Zinkyaik Town in Mon State to CNI News.
"A day wage labourer who plants paddy earns 12,000 Kyats and if he takes a lunch box with him, he will get 15,000 Kyats. Workers are highly paid with the price of rice going up. A day wage labourer earned 9,000 to 10,000 Kyats before. Labourers are very scarce now.They have gone to Thailand, he said.
some people ploughing in the field
At the time of planting rice, workers not only from Khayan township and Thongwa township but also from Ayeryawady Region and Bago Region come to Mon State to plant rice. "In the past, eight workers worked for an acre of land and but now 15 workers have to be hired, said U Naing Maung Lay, a farmer from Chaung Sone Township, to CNI News.
In the past when a worker was paid 7,000 Kyats, workers arrived at the field at 6a.m and went home at 5p.m. But now, workers reached the field at 7 a.m and went home at 4p.m. Their working hours decrease. They walk around and speak on the phone during working hours. In fact, daily wages are not much. But their net working hours decrease. So, the cost of a farmer has increased. That's why many farmers sow the seeds in the field and then plant rice" he said.
The workers who are skilful in planting rice have been scarce especially men are more scarce, said Daw Htay Yi, a farmer from Paung Township in Mon State, to CNI News.
some workers planting rice
" We have to pay a worker 12,000 Kyats a day including unskilful ones. Men pull out rice seedling and replant. We have to pay them 15,000 each. Girls and women are paid 12,000 Kyats a day." she said.
Most of the farmers in Mon State don't work pulling out seedlings and replanting anymore and they work sowing seeds in the fields only because the workers have been scarce and cost for workers has become high. Planting by sowing seeds normally reduce the rate of yield. But if fertilizer is more used, the yield can be better. However, rice plants will be damaged after getting much rain which farmers are worried.
