Farmers in trouble

DVB, February 11

Burmese farmers from Pegu Division in central Burma wrote a letter to the country’s Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt urging the military junta to solve problems and difficulties faced by the farmers.

Farmers from Phyuu, Kayauk Gyi and Oke-twin townships sent a letter to the general urging him to stop the plunging paddy/rice price and a copy of the letter was also sent to U Myat Hla, the elected representative of Pegu Township.

Farmers in Myaung Mya Township (Irrawaddy division) and Woon-twin Township in Mandalay are also facing similar difficulties, according the local elected representatives, U Aung Kyin and Dr. Hla Aung.

The farmers are also in danger of losing their operating costs. Their survivals and livelihood are in grave danger due to the ban on rice exports imposed by the junta, State Peace and Development council (SPDC) in early January for fear of political unrest due to rice shortage. Previous to the ban, the junta ‘liberalised’ the rice market by not forcing farmers to sell rice quotas to the government.

Rice mill owners and traders are reluctant to buy paddy from farmers because they are afraid that the junta might force them to sell the milled paddy (rice) at the lowest price later on. As a result, the price of paddy/rice has been plunging and farmers are unable to sell their produces which are in danger of rotting in piles. The children of farmers are unable to resume their studies in schools and university.

Meanwhile, farmers in lower Burma are being forced to grow dry season paddy by local authorities in delta region on the pain of arrest and confiscations of farmlands.