CNI News

13 December, 2023

Because the fuel cannot be bought in Rakhine State at present, it is difficult to reap the rainfed paddy, and if the current situation continues, about half of the state's paddy may be wasted, according to the Rakhine State Farmers' Union.

The Rakhine State Administration Council has closed all entrances and exits to Rakhine State as well as all the roads and waterways inside the state due to the battles breaking out between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army (AA) since 13th November. So, medicine, foodstuff and fuel are expensive and running out.

As the fuel has run out, rainfed paddy is being reaped by manpower. However, as the number of labors is few, now is the time beyond the period of harvesting paddy. So,  about half of rainfed paddy might be damaged, U Kyaw Zan, chairman of the Rakhine State Farmers Union, told CNI News.

"Although the fuel is not available at a time like this, we have to work as able as we can. Farm workers have been quite scarce. When we are depending on machines, as there is no fuel, we are finding it difficult. If the current situation goes on, about half of paddy probably will be wasted. Or farmers will make a loss due to the quality degrade. The products might not reach the market." he said.

While the paddy is being harvested by manpower

Fuel cannot be bought in most of the townships in Rakhine State and the price of diesel is between 30,000 and 50,000 kyats per liter in the townships where fuel can be bought. The paddy that was reaped beyond the harvesting period cannot be changed into rice, but into broken rice only. So, most of Rakhine farmers. can make a loss reportedly.

Therefore, more and more farmers will desert their farms in the coming rainfed paddy season, U Khin Maung Than, a farmer from Kyauktaw Township, told CNI News.

" The people in Rakhine State suffered from the Covid-19 pandemic, Cyclone Mocha and the civil war one year after another. We will find it more difficult next year. More and more farmers will desert their farms, I think." he said.

The rainfed paddy cultivation area is about 800,000 acres this year and it is grown most in Mrauk U and Kyauktaw Townships. 

Of the paddy currently grown, if half of the paddy was damaged, the townships in Rakhine State where the paddy is not grown a lot would need rice badly, according to the Rakhine State Farmers Union.