Rice supply ban leads to food shortages for thousands of Tanintharyi Twsp residents

By Admin 18 Oct 2023

DMG Newsroom
18 October 2023, Tanintharyi
 
Rice prices are rising and locals in Tanintharyi Township are facing rice shortages as Myanmar’s military regime has de facto barred the supply of rice to the area since early October, according to local residents.
 
Since October 1, trucks carrying rice have been stopped and closely inspected at junta security checkpoints near the military’s Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 561 in Nyaungpinkwin Village.
 
“Trucks carrying rice were checked by junta soldiers at a security checkpoint near the military’s No. 561 LIB and at an entrance to the town. Truck drivers dare not carry rice bags because at least 30 trucks carrying rice were arrested by the junta soldiers,” said a local rice merchant in Tanintharyi.
 
Transport of rice into the area has effectively ceased due to junta soldiers’ extortion of truck drivers and tight checks, local rice merchants said.
 
The price of low-grade rice has risen to K80,000 from K50,000 per sack and the price of high-grade rice has increased to K250,000 from K100,000 in Tanintharyi Township, according to rice shop owners.
 
“The prices of rice are going up and local people face hardships because rice supply is not allowed. We can’t buy either low-grade rice or quality rice and we will go hungry in the long run,” said a rice dealer in Tanintharyi.
 
Local people in several Tanintharyi Township villages such as Nyaungpinkwin, Taku, Tharabwin, Theindaw and Kotmapyin are resorting to instant noodles and dried vermicelli due to rice shortages in the area, residents said.
 
“I was lucky because I was able to purchase 10 pyi of rice with the help of my friend in downtown Tanintharyi. Some people have to eat instant noodles and dried vermicelli as they can’t buy rice,” said a local man from Nyaungpinkwin Village.
 
DMG phoned Tanintharyi Region Minister of Social Affairs U Thant Zin for comment on the junta’s ban on rice supplies into Tanintharyi Township, but he could not be reached.
 
The ban on rice came following recent fighting between junta troops and anti-regime groups in Tanintharyi Township, locals said.
 
The military regime has also banned deliveries of rice and medicine to Tanintharyi Region’s Thayetchaung, Dawei and Palaw townships.