CNI News
26 August 2023
The increase in the prices of rice in the country was not unrelated to the actions of the State Administration Council (SAC), said U Thet Zaw, an economic analyst to CNI News.
Because the prices of rice have risen in the world at present, the price of Myanmar rice that is being exported will rise which traders are expecting.
But the SAC would review the policies relating to exports, said Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, Chief of the Tatmadaw True News Information Team at the SAC's news conference held in Naypyidaw on 22nd August, 2023.
The SAC has not taken action effectively to make the domestic rice prices decline, said U Thet Zaw.
" SAC' actions are involved in making the rice prices go up. They said they would review the policies. When they want to get export earning so much, they are making to raise the rice prices, expecting the rice price are to go up in the world market. And they said they would encourage exporters. While the rice prices are going up, they don't take action." he said.
A rice shop
The current domestic rice prices are at a record high, and the price of Shwe Bo Porsan is 148,000 kyats per bag (105 lb) and Ayeyarwady Porsan, 125,500 kyats and Sin Thukha, 95,000 kyats and Aemahta 25 marks (coarse rice), 70,000 kyats.
Because international rice prices are going up, the price of the rice that is being exported also is going up. So, the people have to be buying rice at higher prices, said U Thet Zaw.
" Although the government is promoting rice export, exports should be encouraged only when there is domestic self-sufficiency. Rice Chamber of Commerce buy the rice as much as they can get at a higher price without caring about domestic affairs. And then rice prices are getting more higher. The people get into trouble." he said.
At present, rice prices are skyrocketing and in relation to that, the government would perform policy adjustments, said Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun.
As the rainfed rice will appear in abundance in the next 2 months if the government sold reserve rice at a lower price, it would reduce the people's anxiety, said U Thein Aung, chairman of the Farmers Development Association to CNI News.
" The government can sell reserve rice for basic staffs and basic class a bag of rice to a household a month at a reasonable price. And the government should go to slums by car and sell rice at 60,000 kyats a bag. If doing so, it will reduce the public anxiety. News rice will appear in two months." he said.
Although the selling price of 100 baskets of rainfed paddy rice was 9 to 10 lakh kyats in 2022, the selling price in 2023 is 17 to 18 lakh kyats.
The selling price of 100 baskets of Aemahta paddy rice was 530,000 in the past and now is around 18 lakh kyats.
Although the prices of paddy rice and rice are high, inputs such as pesticide, herbicide, fertilizer and fuel also are expensive. So, most farmers can enjoy a little benefit reportedly.
The government should sell its reserve rice at present and if it sells when the paddy rice appear in abundance, farmers will face with loss because the price of paddy rice could fall down, review farmers.
