Junta provides paddy seeds to some farmers in cyclone-hit Arakan State

By Admin 06 Jul 2023

DMG Newsroom
6 July 2023, Sittwe

The junta is reportedly providing paddy seeds to farmers at below-market prices in cyclone-hit Sittwe, Rathedaung, Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U and Pauktaw townships.

Each farmer in Mrauk-U Township received from one to seven bags of paddy seeds, depending on the extent of the damage to their paddy seeds following Cyclone Mocha, and they paid only K2,000 for one basket of paddy seeds as transportation cost.

“The village administrator compiled the list of paddy seeds destroyed by Cyclone Mocha. If a farmer loses about 40 baskets of paddy seeds, he is provided with around 20 baskets of paddy seeds at a cheaper price. We would like to express thanks to the junta for providing us with paddy seeds,” said U Thein Kyaw Mya, a local farmer in Pi Pin Yin Village, Mrauk-U Township.

Farmers in some townships, however, have yet to receive paddy seeds from the junta. 

“Farmers often solve the problem of getting paddy seeds by themselves. We have to buy paddy seeds and we have not received any paddy seeds from the regime,” said U Zaw Myo Chit, a local farmer from Thayettapin Village, Kyauktaw Township.

Farmers in Rathedaung Township, meanwhile, have received only some paddy seeds provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and some civil society organisations. 

“Some nongovernmental organisations have provided paddy seeds to farmers following the storm. Some farmers received two baskets of paddy seeds depending on the acreage of their farmlands. The junta has yet to provide us with paddy seeds. I would like to urge the junta to provide farmers with sufficient paddy seeds,” said Ko Aung Min Soe, a local farmer from Cedipyin Village in Rathedaung Township.

Local farmers will be provided with paddy seeds only if they present their difficulties to the junta through their respective ward and village administrators, said U Hla Thein, spokesman for the Arakan State military council.

“Upon farmers’ request, we ordered paddy seeds for farmers. We will distribute paddy seeds at a cheaper price. Paddy seeds have already arrived in Sittwe. Some paddy seeds are being transported by ships,” U Hla Thein added.

A total of 73,397 baskets of several paddy seed varieties have already been transported to Sittwe, he said.

Paddy seeds from Ayeyarwaddy and Bago regions were transported by cargo ships, military vessels and military trucks at the arrangement of the National Disaster Management Committee in Nay Pyi Taw.

Hundreds of thousands of farmers in Mocha-ravaged parts of Arakan State will need substantial assistance for recovery as many have lost homes, paddy seed stocks and cattle in the storm.

More than 27,600 cattle were killed by the cyclone in Sittwe and Rathedaung townships, the junta said in a statement on May 19.