Arakan State farmers struggle to replant flood-hit paddy fields

By Admin 15 Aug 2023

DMG Newsroom
15 August 2023, Sittwe

Arakanese farmers say they are facing difficulties replanting paddy fields that have been hard-hit by flooding in Arakan State.

Since the beginning of August, the rains and floods caused the cultivated paddy plants to be covered with mud and destroyed, and farmers are reportedly having difficulties with money, seeds and seedlings to replant the paddy fields.

“Even if the farmers find paddy seedlings and plant them, they cannot plant them because of financial constraints at this time,” said U Hla Maung Thein, a local farmer from Kyaungpho Village, part of Arakan State’s Kyauktaw Township.

About 60 acres of paddy fields in Kyaungpho Village were destroyed by the flooding and farmers are facing difficulties in replanting their paddy fields.

About 700 acres of land damaged by flooding are being recultivated in Minphu Village in Minbya Township, but farmers there said that due to the scarcity of rice, it is not certain that they will be able to replant 100%.

“Farmers seek paddy seeds from others to replant their damaged paddy fields. Farmers are having difficulties accessing paddy seeds,” said U Maung Hla, a local farmer from Minphu Village.

It is late rainy season, and farmers reportedly have not had enough time to plant long-day paddy like Paw Hsan Hmwe, a high-grade paddy variety, so they are looking for short-day paddy seeds to replant.

Farmers in Arakan State have faced various difficulties during this year’s farming despite the affects of Cyclone Mocha. 

“We only see situations where farmers are looking for paddy seeds and replanting them,” said U Soe Naing, chairman of the Danyawadi Farmers Development Association in Arakan State's Mrauk-U Township.

“We have instructed township-level officers to compile acres of farmlands destroyed by the floods. We will provide paddy seeds to the farmers whose farmlands were destroyed by the flooding. The decision will be made only after a meeting with the Arakan State military council,” said U Tun Myint, director of the Arakan State Department of Agriculture.

Floods destroyed 8,848 acres of farmlands and affected 11,132 acres of farmlands in Arakan State, according to figures compiled by the Arakan State Department of Agriculture.

Floods destroyed more than 70,000 acres of farmlands and killed 139 cattle in Arakan State, according to data compiled by the Arakan Army (AA) on August 14.