Narinjara news
FORCED COLLECTION OF RICE IN
MYANMAR
Sittwe, 21st February 02 : The total '
forced purchase' of rice from the rice growers of the south-western state of
Myanmar till the first week of February 02 is about 156,500 tonnes,
according to an official from the State Agricultural Department.
According to the official statistics, a total of 2,974.08 tonnes of rice was collected from Sittwe
township, 26,926.65 tonnes from Mrauk-u township, 16,641.28 tonnes
from Kyauk-taw township, 16,564.67 tonnes from Minn-bya
township, 12,636.93 tonnes from Pauktaw township, 3,653.99 tonnes
from Mye-bon township, 9,595.17 tonnes from Ponnagyun
township, 8,869.48 tonnes from Rathedaung township, 11,573.18 tonnes
from Maungdaw township, 7,908.39 tonnes from Buthidaung township,
11,200 tonnes from Thandway
(Sandoway) township, 4,800 tonnes
from Gwa township, 10,630.4 tonnes
from Taunggup township, 4,112.64 tonnes from Kyaukpru
township, 3,759.46 tonnes from Rambrey township, 2,809.22 tonnes
from Man-aung township, and 1,834.63 from
Ann township.
This year's primary target of rice collection is
260,000 metric tonnes. "The junta is set
to collect more rice from the rice
growers," said a manager from the Agricultural Department.
Meanwhile, the farmers are reluctant to sell the rice to the SPDC junta
officials as the price of 3.2 tonne (tinn 100) of rice is kyat 120,000 at Maungdaw and kyat 87,500 at Buthidaung
as of the first week of February this year. The junta officials who come
with members of the armed forces for forcibly 'purchasing' rice, pay the
growers kyat 30,000 for the same amount which price merely covers the
production cost. When selling at the Maungdaw
Myoma Rice sales centre, the junta gets a price of
kyat 141,180 in
There are reports of forcible collection of rice from door to door in the
villages all over