CNI News

11 October 2024

Farmers have demanded sugar mills to pay 170,000 kyats per ton of sugarcane because the agricultural cost becomes higher. 

Farmers got only 130,000 kyats per ton of sugarcane last year and it was necessary to get more this year; because this labor cost and the prices of fuel oil became higher, agricultural cost for one ton of sugarcane increased until 15 lakh kyats although the cost was about 800,000 kyats only, so they demanded to pay more, U Maung Swe, a sugarcane farmer from Sagaing Region, told CNI News.

" Farmers and sugar mills met the other day. They didn't tell the price. They will designate the price later. Farmers are demanding to raise the price. They want 170,000 or 180,000 kyats per ton. The agricultural cost has increased a lot. Last year, diesel was paid around 800,000 kyats per barrel (50 gallons) and but this year, 140,000 kyats per barrel. Last year, farmers asked sugar mills to pay 150,000 kyats per ton of sugarcane and the price was designated 130,000 kyats. Last year, the agricultural cost for one ton of sugarcane was about 800,000 kyats. But this year, labor cost and the price of diesel have been higher. So, agricultural cost for one ton of sugarcane has been about 15 lakh kyats." he said.

While sugarcanes were being reaped

At present, sugar mills are issuing 20,000 kyats per ton as advanced money to farmers in order to chop sugarcane. 

According to the current price of sugar, the price farmers were demanding could be paid by sugar mills; besides as there has been an increase in the number of sugar mills in Sagaing Region and there has been demand for sugar cane, sugar mills could pay the price farmers have demanded, U Win Htay, vice chairman of the Myanmar Sugar and Cane-related Products Entrepreneurs Association, told CNI News.

While seeing sugarcanes

" According to the current price of sugar, 170,000 kyats per ton of sugarcane could be paid. The cultural cost becomes very higher. The price of diesel is just over 600,000 kyats per barrel here in Yangon, but in the upcountry, 10 lakh kyats and above. There has been an increase in the number of sugar mills in Sagaing Region. The demand for sugarcane becomes higher as well. Even though it is unlikely to be 180,000 kyats, it is likely to be 170,000 kyats." he said.

The yield of sugarcane this year could be reduced because the sugarcane chopping season and regrowing were late. 

In Myanmar, sugarcane is grown in upper Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Yangon, Bago Regions and northern Shan State and its cultivation area is over 500,000 acres.