Irrawaddy-June 17
Local farmers and farmers unions in Rakhine State forecast a 50 percent decline in the monsoon rice harvest this year due to escalating armed conflict and shortages of agricultural materials such as fertilizer and fuel. Fighting has been raging in Rakhine State for seven months since the Arakan Army (AA) launched an offensive against the regime in November. Rakhine State has around 850,000 acres of farmland, most of which is in northern Rakhine, the conflict’s hotspot. The AA has seized almost all of northern Rakhine State. Meanwhile, the regime has blockaded roads and waterways since November, resulting in price hikes and shortages of various consumer goods including diesel and fertilizer. U Kyaw Zan, chairman of the Rakhine State Farmers Union, told The Irrawaddy: “Production may decline by half this year, mainly because of the fighting, and we have to use machinery for farming as we have no cattle. Diesel prices are prohibitive. And we don’t have fertilizer. We will hardly be able to grow 500,000 acres this year.” Weather also plays a part in agriculture in coastal Rakhine, which is prone to storms and heavy rain, noted U Kyaw Zan. He said food security for the state’s 3 million people could be undermined further if the crop is hit by bad weather. Monsoon paddy is normally grown across the country in June with rainwater from the wet season. Unlike other parts of the country, Rakhine State grows rice mainly in the wet season, foregoing the dams used to grow paddy in other seasons.
Diesel prices have jumped from 12,000 kyats last year to 40,000 kyats (around US$ 9) this year. Fertilizer prices have tripled from 100,000 kyats to 300,000 kyats per sack, said farmers. Politician U Pe Than from Rakhine State said: “Farmers can’t cultivate all their land due to junta restrictions. So, the acreage sown will decline and the yield will, too. We may suffer food insecurity.” Read more at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/business/myanmars-rakhine-spiraling-into-hunger-as-50-drop-in-rice-harvest-predicted.html
