Belin, 18 August
Farmers in Belin Township, Mon State, are having difficulty replanting 30,000 acres of flood-damaged monsoon paddy fields.
Incessant rains in early August caused floods in Mon State’s Kyaikto, Belin and Kyaikmaraw townships, destroying tens of thousands of acres of rice fields.
Out of more than 90,000 acres, nearly all 30,000 acres of monsoon paddy in Belin Township were devastated after being inundated for nearly two weeks.
Some farmers stopped replanting rice due to the high price of seeds and inputs.
A farmer said, “Almost 100 percent of the rice fields were destroyed by the floods, but the military council’s agriculture department has not provided any assistance so far. We lost about 60 lakhs for 10 acres of paddy fields”.
“As a result, rice yields would fall significantly in the coming season, and rice prices may rise again,” the farmers said.
The previous civilian government offered seeds and fertilizers at affordable prices for the destroyed rice fields after the flooding, but the military council did not provide any assistance, according to farmers.
Mon State has nearly 700,000 acres of rice, and produces more than 43 million baskets of rice every year. After milling them, they are exported to some states and regions.
However, following the military coup, the price of rice nearly tripled, putting the people in dire straits.
News-Than Lwin Times
Photo-CJ
Thanlwintimes