Intent on stocking up on rations for the Burmese Army, the military junta is forcibly buying paddy at reduced prices from farmers before the agricultural community can harvest the crop at the end of the season in November. The paddy collection drive is on in villages in Waingmaw Township in Kachin State in northern Burma, complained local farmers.

Early this month, farmers in Nawnghkying village in Waingmaw Township on the riverside of Mali Hka (Irrawaddy River) were forced to sell their paddy and accept 2,000 Kyat equal to US $ 1.7 per Tin (1 Tin = 40.9 litres in Burmese measurement in volume) of rice, which is four times less than the prevailing market price of 8,000 Kyat equal to US $ 6.8 per Tin, a local farmer told KNG.

According to farmers in Nawnghkying, the authorities of Boa Constrictor in Khatcho village in Waingmaw came to Nawnghkying and ordered each household to sell two Tins of paddy per acre of paddy field they own. The authorities of Khatcho Boa Constrictor have already advanced money to the farmers.

Local farmers added that they have to send the paddy demanded to the Nawnghkying village administration office (Ya-Ya-Ka) as soon as the harvest season starts in November. If they cannot send it in time to the Ya-Ya-Ka office, they have been instructed to send it directly to the Boa Constrictor in Khat Cho village.

The authorities are forcing Nawnghkying farmers to sell paddy, although the regime has not provided any support in terms of fertilizer or other farming equipments, a farmer told KNG today.

Owners of paddy fields, who hired out their plots to others, were also given the same instructions of selling the paddy demanded to the junta, added farmers.

There are over 400 households in Nawnghkying village and they have been farming in the village relying on the water from the Ugang Bum (Ugang Mountain).

The same situation occurred over the last two years where the authorities forced the residents to sell 10 Tins from each acre, said a resident.