The production of unhusked rice has been significantly low throughout the second half of last year due to the nationwide flooding and diminished access to water for the rice plantations in some places. This has caused the price of the new paddies reach the highest in fifty years, said the Myanmar Rice Federation.
“The price is getting higher at this moment and it is unlikely to fall. We are trying to find a way to resolve this,” said U Nay Zin Lin, member of Myanmar Rice Federation.
The price of unhusked rice was about K3,500 to K5,000 per 52 pounds in the past few years but the price for this year reached K4,500 per 52 pounds. However, as soon as the new paddy appeared, the price quickly rose to K6,300 per 52 pounds.
“The dam in our villages was not able to give water for our paddy fields. When the dam gave us water, it was already too late,” said U Win Sein, farmer from San Kone village, Kyaut Pa Daung township of Mandalay region.
In July and August last year, about 900,000 acres of rice paddies fields were destroyed by the nationwide floods that happened in 14 states and regions of Myanmar. Only about 35,000 acres of paddy fields were recovered and replanted, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation figures.
“Many paddy fields were destroyed because of the floods in our region. Only a few paddy fields were replanted and also the production rate was not as good as last year,” said a farmer from Monywa town whose paddies were lost.
From:Myanmar Business Today