Kaladan News

Dated: February 9, 2005

Rice Prices Increase in Arakan State

 

Mauungdaw, Feb. 9: Prices of different varieties of rice have increased in a month in different towns of Arakan State.

 

Due to short supply in markets caused by blockages of Nasaka to bring rice to the northern Arakan from the southern side, which is called granary of rice, said traders.

 

Prices of a 50kg bag of rice have increased from Kyat 5,000 to Kyat 7,000 in a month in Maungdaw Townships of Arakan State, which was at Kyat 4,500 to Kyat 5,000 in December 2004.

 

The lowest price in the retail market is about Kyat 115 per kg and the highest Kyat 150.

 

Rice is brought to the market of Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships from Akyab (Sittwe), Mrauk-U, Pauktaw, Kyauktaw, Minbya towns of Arakan State.

 

The supply is lesser due to frequent obstacles by the Nasaka. Production is also shortfall due to flood and the most of the rice and paddy was smuggled to Bangladesh during the last of 2004, traders of Maungdaw said.

 

Traders said the poor people have been affected by the sudden rise; they are often out of the job due to job crisis. The prices will not come down unless the SPDC authorities allow the traders to purchase the rice from lower parts of Arakan State or harvest begins.

 

In March 2004, in Buthidaung Township, a 50kg rice bag was sold at Kyat 3,500 to Kyat 4,000 as the government did not purchase rice from the farmers as previous year. (1US$=Kyat 930).

 

At present, the scarcity of Burmese rice at Teknaf, a border town of Bangladesh, a 50kg rice bag is being sold at Tk. 9,000 to 9,500 against Tk.5, 000 to 5,500 in previous month. The people of Teknaf are facing difficulties as they depend on the Burmese rice, said Sidique, a rice trader from Teknaf. (I US$ = Taka 62.4954).

 

On 26th January 2005, a boat, which was carrying rice from Burma to Bangladesh, was opened fire by Nasaka at the mouth of Naf River; which left a man wounded and 4 others missing, said Zamil from Ann Din village of Maungdaw south.

 

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