Skyrocketing cost of agricultural inputs leaves acreage unsown across Myanmar

By DMG 26 Aug 2022

DMG Newsroom
26 August 2022, Sittwe

Farmers in Ayeyarwady, Bago and Tanintharyi regions, and Mon State, are unable to grow paddy due to the steep rise in prices of agricultural inputs such as fuel and fertiliser, and are increasingly abandoning their farms, according to farmers.

Thousands of acres of paddy fields have been abandoned in Ayeyarwady Region, which is one of the largest paddy-growing areas in Myanmar, a local farmer in Pathein Township said.

“Farmers are struggling to cultivate paddy due to a sharp increase in fuel and fertiliser prices. There are thousands of farmlands in Pathein Township abandoned by the farmers as they are unable to grow paddy,” the farmer added.

The price of fertiliser was around K30,000 per bag before the coup, but the price has increased to about K100,000 per bag, and farmers are facing losses in selling agricultural products.

“There are many farmlands abandoned by farmers who are unable to cultivate paddy in Kawa Township in Bago Region and Khayan Township in Yangon Region. Farmers may suffer financial losses even if they grow paddy due to skyrocketing fuel and fertiliser prices,” said a local farmer from Minywa village in Bago Region’s Thanatpin Township.

The price of diesel, meanwhile, increased from K2,050 per litre on August 4 to K3,305 per litre on August 26, according to filling stations.

“There are many farmlands that cannot be planted due to rising fuel prices, and some paddy fields were destroyed by flooding. There are over 100 acres of abandoned farmlands in Taungson, Bilin and Ye townships in Mon State. Many farmers will be in trouble in the long run,” said a local farmer from Kyoneka village in Mon State’s Paung Township.

Rice-growing townships such as Dawei and Yebyu in Tanintharyi Region are also reported to have been unable to cultivate hundreds of acres of farmland due to labourer shortages as a large number of local people travel abroad in search of more lucrative employment opportunities.

“There are very few people who will engage in farming. Those who lease tractors for cultivation are also not in a good position in the long run due to rising fuel prices. So many farmers abandoned their farmlands,” said a farmer from Khamaungtaung village in Yebyu Township.

Farmers say that due to the skyrocketing prices of fertilisers and fuel needed for agricultural machinery, and the fact that many farmers have left for work abroad due to political instability, more and more farmland is on the verge of being abandoned.