Arakan State might face economics and food crisis if monsoon paddy could not be grown this year

21 Jun 2019

Sein Ko Ko | DMG

20 June, Sittwe

The cultivation process for monsoon paddy has been delayed in some townships in Arakan State due to the ongoing conflicts in the region, monsoon paddy cannot be grown on nearly 90,000 acres this year, the All Arakan State Farmers’ Union told the DMG.

Arakan State has over 1.1 million acres of farmland, nearly 90,000 acres of them are in paddy grown regions.

“Arakan State’s economics and food security will be terribly affected if it fails to grow monsoon paddy this year in paddy grown regions,” said U Khin Maung Gyi, vice chair of the Rakhine Economic Initiative Public Company.

Farmers cannot do cultivation due to the curfew order in some regions or concern for being arrested, he said. Some farmers are afraid of going to their farmland because they were concerned about the dangers of landmines that have been set in the wake of clashes that occurred near their farmland, he added.

The curfew order is an obstacle for farmers because they have to start their cultivation process in the early morning or live on their farmland during the cultivation time.

He said he will urge farmers to fix any problems they have to ensure their securities and the government and farmers need to cooperate to be able to solve their problems.