CNI News
21 September 2023
Most of the rice shops in Myanmar are selling the mixture and when they sell kinds of fine rice such as Shwe Bo Pawsan and Ayeyarwady Pawsan, the rice shops mix fine rice with kinds of rough rice such as Yet Koe Zel and other rough rice reportedly from consumers.
When they sell fine rice, because there are price designations on fine rice, they mix fine rice with rough rice to be consistent with the designated price so that they can make a profit reportedly.
Discussions on rice quality would be performed so as to enable consumers to get the quality that is consistent with the price, an official from the Myanmar Rice and Paddy Traders Association, to CNI News.
" It will depend on the performance of each shop. As there are price designations depending on quality, some shops might mix to be able to sell at the price designated. We haven't discussed about how to control the quality as yet. We will discuss about it a bit not to hurt consumers. Rice is an important commodity. If a shop sell rice incorrectly and its name is damaged, the shop won't be able to sell a lot anymore." he said.
A rice shop
Designated rice prices for sale at a low price are 150,000 kyats a bag of Pawsan and 130,000 kyats, a bag of Pyapon Pawsan reportedly. Due to designation like this, some rice shops mix fine rice with one third of Yet Koe Zel, Sin Thukha and Aemahta reportedly.
Because the prices designated enable the sellers to make a suitable profit, sellers should not mix and sell like that and authorities should take action against those who are selling incorrectly, said U Thein Aung, chairman of the Farmers Development Association, to CNI News.
" Because the prices have been designated for those who store and sell to make a decent profit, the shops that mix with bad things and sell should be taken action against by the government without fail. If they are not taken action against, they will get a chance to commit a misdeed like this again. Officials concerned urgently scrutinize and should take action, I think." said U Thein Aung.
As the price of Pyapon Pawsan was about 80,000 kyats per bag when Shwe Bo Pawsan and Pyapon Pawsan appeared abundantly, the prices designated enable those who store and sell to make a decent profit, said farmers.
Although the rice mills often mix different types of rice while grinding the paddy, the rate of mixture is about three percent only, said rice mill owners and farmers.
