Narinjara News

Akyab, January 20

SPDC authority purchases paddy from Arakanese peasants

The local SPDC authority has been buying paddy from Arakanese farmers since the beginning of this month, said a local report.

According to a local farmer, the government has been purchasing Pawsan Mwe, a high quality brand of paddy, to be used for army rations.

The authority pays 12,5000 kyat for 100 tins (equivalent to 3000 kilograms), a price that is a little higher than the recent market price.

The lower quality paddies are not currently being purchased by the government, however the prices of the lower quality paddy have also risen to nearly 100,000 kyat for 100 tins, since the army began buying paddy from local farmers.

A paddy merchant from Kyab said, “Now 100 tinns of Mindon paddy goes for 100,000 kyat and 100 tinns of Aemahta paddy for 90,000 kyat in the rural areas of Arakan State.”

He did however speculate that the paddy purchased by the SPDC is not for army rations, because of the paddy’s high quality.

He said has never heard of the authority giving high quality paddy to its service member as rations.

The SPDC cancelled the its previous government policy of purchasing rice from farmers in 2004.

In Arakan State this year, rice production has declined due to a shortage of fertilizers used in the paddy fields. #

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