Arakan State’s peanut growers struggle against market forces, unfavourable weather

By DMG 26 Feb 2022

DMG Newsroom
26 February 2022, Sittwe

Winter crop peanut farmers say they are facing difficulty due to lower yields following bad weather, as well as rising fuel, labour and fertiliser expenses.

A basket of peanut pods sold for about K5,000 last year, but farmers do not expect to turn a profit this year despite baskets selling for K6,000, said U Aung Kyaw, a peanut farmer in Kyauktaw town, who cited higher cultivation costs.

“In Kyauktaw, farmers have cultivated more peanuts than last year. A basket of peanut pods is fetching K6,000 this year, but commodity prices and labour charges are higher than last year. So, it is not easy to make a profit,” he told DMG.

Ko Than Zaw Htay, a peanut farmer from Saku Island in Ramree Township, told DMG that peanut plants are being destroyed by insects, contributing to lower yields.

“Many peanut plants died because of insects. And, there are no traders to export the peanuts to other regions and states because of Covid-19. It is likely to face loss this year,” he said.

“We harvested 30 baskets of peanuts from an acre last year, but we cannot get 20 baskets an acre this year,” he said.

Daw Hla Thein Yin, a peanut farmer from Pan Myaung village in Minbya Township, said yields are lower because farmers are using less fertiliser, with bad weather also to blame.

“We decreased the cultivation of peanuts this year because fertiliser prices are increasing. And, we did not get enough rain water and we have to irrigate water from creeks and rivers. So, this year’s peanut yield is lower. I must say, we face losses this year,” she said.

U Kyaw Zan Kay, chair of the Rakhine State Farmers’ Union, said many farmers in Arakan State are cultivating more winter crops this year after a lacklustre paddy harvest.

“They are cultivating more peanuts to cover their losses, not because of fetching a good price,” he said. “I do not know the exact number of acres that farmers planted with peanuts this year,” he said.

Peanuts in Arakan State are primarily cultivated in Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw, Minbya, Rathedaung, Ramree, Ponnagyun and Taungup townships.

Traders buy peanuts from the Arakan State towns of Sittwe, Kyauktaw and Taungup, and ship them onward to Mandalay and Magway, peanut farmers said.