CNI News

5 August 2023

Nwe Yi Palei Sugar factory in northern Shan State started opening price at 110,000 kyats per ton in this sugarcane season. The price of sugarcane a ton was only 95,000 kyats last year. 

Because the price of sugar a viss (3.6 lb) is 3,000 kyats at present, sugar factories have increased the purchase price, said sugarcane peasants.
Because the cost of agriculture, fee for cutting sugarcane, labor cost are rising, the peasants are expecting to sell their sugarcane at over 120,000 kyats a ton, said U Maung Swe, a sugarcane peasant to CNI News.

A person selling sugarcane juice

" Nwe Yi Palei has opened the price at 110,000 kyats a ton. Because the current price of sugar is over 3,000 kyats a viss, peasants think they should get 125,000 kyats a ton. Every price is going up now. Fee for cutting sugarcane, diesel price, labor cost and so on are rising. So, peasants have expected to get 125,000 kyats a ton at least." he said.  

The current price of sugar is 3,300 to 4,000 kyats a viss. 110,000 kyats a ton is the price paid by delivery, which is the highest price in all sugarcane seasons, said peasants. The current sugarcane price was just starting to open price and later, the price would be higher, said U Win Htay, vice chairman of the Myanmar Sugar & Cane Related Products Association to CNI News.

Sugarcane

" Sugarcane peasants probably will get 120,000 kyats a ton. Factories seem to raise the price. They largely raise the price later. I've heard that some factories will even pay 130,000 kyats a ton. But I don't think it's the final decision." he said. Locally-produced sugar is mainly exported to Vietnam and local consumption also has increased reportedly. There are more than 400,000 acres of sugarcane cultivation all over the country and sugarcane is grown in Shan State, upper Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region, Bago Region, Magway Region and Okkan Township, Yangon Region.