Instability hinders monsoon paddy harvest in Arakan State

By Myo Thiri Kyaw 04 Nov 2020

Myo Thiri Kyaw | DMG
4 November 2020, Sittwe

Monsoon paddy cannot be harvested as yet in some Arakan State townships plagued by fierce clashes, though the harvest is due.

U Maung Wai Thein of Yay Poke village, Rathedaung Township, said farmers in his village still could not harvest monsoon paddy due to frequent fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, and for fear that they might be arrested by the Tatmadaw if out tending to their fields.

“The harvest is due, but we still can’t harvest because there are no labourers. We just return home when we encounter Myanmar military soldiers on our way to the farms. The monsoon paddy will be wasted if it can’t be harvested in time,” he said.

Due to the ongoing instability in Arakan State, local farmers were not able to grow monsoon paddy at full scale, and a failure to reap the paddy could bring a food crisis in the coming year, said the administrator of Shwepyi village in Kyauktaw Township, U Tun Aye Maung.

“As we have no labourers in our area, we have to harvest with harvesters. But this year, farmers are terribly worried that harvesters may not arrive [in time],” said the village administrator.

Local farmers have urged both sides to stop fighting immediately so that they can harvest the monsoon paddy.

Farmers in Arakan State rely on the monsoon paddy harvest for food security, and rice prices may increase if the paddy cannot be harvested, said the chairman of the Arakan State Farmers’ Union, U Kyaw Zan.

“Paddy couldn’t be grown on most of the farms in Kyauktaw and Rathedaung townships. As a democratic government, the NLD [National League for Democracy] government should monitor what farmers need. The government, however, doesn’t provide any assistance in that regard,” he said. “If the situation gets worse, farmers might end up having to abandon all their farmland.”

On behalf of farmers, the Arakan State Farmers’ Union submitted a petition to the concerned ministries and the president last year, but there was no response.

Over 50,000 acres of monsoon paddy farms could not be put under cultivation in Rathedaung, Kyauktaw, Ponnagyun, Mrauk-U, Myebon, Minbya, Ann, Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships, where conflict between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army persists, according to Arakan State Farmers’ Union.