Farmers in Kachin State in northern Burma are in a spot for they have been ordered to sell paddy to the Burmese Army as of late December last year at prices lower than market rates, local farmers told Kachin News Group.

The order by the administrative office of Dawhpumyang branch-township in Bhamo district on December 21 says every farmer was directed to sell one Tin (Burma's standard unit of measurement of rice is 1 Tin = 10.5 kg) per acre to the local Burmese Army base in Myothit--- Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 387.

The total amount of paddy to the tune of 5,400 Tin (56700 kg) has to be sold to the Burmese military base at Kyat 3,000 (US$3.1) per Tin, a farmer in Dawhpumyang said.

At the prevailing prices, farmers can sell a Tin of paddy for between 3,500 Kyat (US$3.6) and 4,000 Kyat (US$4.2) in the open market and the China border markets in Kachin State, said a farmer in the branch-township.  

“The fact is I don’t want to sell paddy to the military because of the low price.  But, it is an order and therefore compulsory,” he said.  

Some farmers living at a distance from the LIB 387 have decided to provide the cash equivalent for the paddy, according to farmers in remote areas of the branch-township.

There are two main reasons for farmers, who want no further loss --- farmers have to transport the total paddy asked for to the military base at their-own cost and they dislike the military scale which is larger than the standard scale, said farmers in those areas.

Every year, come the post harvest season starting December, farmers in Kachin State are ordered to sell large amounts of paddy to local Burmese military bases at a fixed price, said sources among local farmers.

The military rulers claim that Kachin State is the fourth largest rice bowl of the country but they do not provide any subsidy to farmers, according to farmers in the State.

Every year, farmers have to sell the paddy demanded, to the military at a loss, added local farmers.