CNI News
23 March 2024

Farmers have wanted more agricultural loans for the rainfed paddy season to come than the amount loaned last year. Although a farmer was lent for 10 acres at the rate of 1.5 lakh kyats per acre last year, because the cost this year has been higher, they needed more loans, said farmers.

The farmers who have less than 10 acres should be lent at the rate of three lakh kyats per acre and those who have more than 10 acres should be lent for all the acres they have at the regular rate in the rainfed paddy season to come, U Thein Aung, chairman of the Farmers Development Association, told CNI News.

" In the previous years, a farmer was lent at the rate of 1.5 lakh kyats per acre and at most for 10 acres only. But now because the costs have been higher, if possible, I want the government to lend three lakh kyats per acre. As usual if the government lend for the 10 acres only, it should lend three lakh kyats per acre. Otherwise, farmers who have less than 10 acres should be lent three lakh kyats per acre and those who have more than 10 acres should be lent for all the acres they have at the rate of 1.5 kyats per acre." he said.

140 billion kyats have been intended to lend farmers for seven lakh acres of rainfed paddy in the rainfed paddy season to come, according the agricultural department.

Inputs that are 200,000 kyats worth for an acre will be supplied for 700,000 acres of rainfed paddy. However, there are still a lot of rainfed paddy acres left because there are over 15 million acres, pointed out farmers.

 Because some regions where rainfed paddy is grown such as Rakhine, Mon, Karen States, Sagaing, Magway and Mandalay Regions are not stable, it may be difficult to lend farmers loans, a farmer told CNI News.

" There are about 17 million acres of rainfed paddy in our country or at least 15 million. According to their list, there are 17 million. So, the government need to lend any more of loans. There are 3.7 million acres in our region, Ayeyarwady alone. There may be 4 to 6 million in Bago Region as well. There are over 7 million acres already in both regions. But there is no stability in Rakhine, Mon, Karen States, Sagaing, Magway and Mandalay Regions. It is stable only in Ayeyarwady and western part of Bago Region for the time being. It might be dangerous to issue loans in the unstable regions." he said.

The government should carry out systematically to make farmers choose fertilizer what they like as well as to lend every farmer who need a loan, said farmers.