CNI News

14 November 2024

Because the paddy yield was low in a big way as pests destroyed paddy when the rainfed paddy appeared in Mon State this year, farmers are facing losses. 

When the paddy was grown, inputs were expensive and because it rained inopportune time as well as pests destroyed and farmers did not get a good price when the paddy appeared, farmers made more loses, said farmers.

The paddy yield of some farmers was reduced by half, Ko Lwin Aye, a paddy farmer from Paung Township told CNI News.

While the paddy harvested has been piled up

" In the rainfed paddy, there are coarse rice and fine rice. Normally, the paddy for fine rice is produced about 50 to 60 baskets per acre and the paddy for coarse rice, 70 to 90 baskets. Pests destroyed paddy this year. So, fine paddy was produced 40 baskets per acre at most. Coarse paddy was produced 50 to 60 baskets per acre. But the prices don't go up when farmers have to sell their paddy. Farmers are facing losses." he said.

The price of coarse paddy is 1,700,000 kyats per 100 baskets, and that of fine paddy, 2,200,000 kyats. However, agricultural cost was 1,000,000 kyats for an acre. So, a farmer whose farm produced about 20 baskets per acre made a more loss.

Because the price of paddy is low when the paddy yield was low, farmers may find it difficult to grow summer and rainfed paddy.

Most farmers have to sell their paddy although the price is low in order to pay the debts from the bank loans and agricultural costs. Just a few farmers who can store their paddy until the paddy price is higher can make a profit.