U Soe Lwin, owner of a local drilling business told Mizzima on July 17, that demand for wells in the townships of Einme, Kyaunggon and Kangyidaunt is triple the level normally seen over the traditional monsoon planting season.

"Normally, we plant with rainwater but since we have had to drill for water this year, our expenses have increased. I haven’t sowed a single plant yet," said U Than Htike Oo, a farmer from Kangyidaunt.

Farmers say that normally the planting of paddy fields should be complete by the middle of July but they have had to resort not only to the digging of basic wells or pumping water from nearby ponds, creeks and rivers but to the drilling of costly artesian wells.

The drilling, purchase of pipes and the maintenance of an artesian well, a well that produces a constant supply of water with little or no pumping, costs about K500,000 (US$513) and means their fields are not profitable, said the farmers.

"We've never faced this situation before," said farmer U Tin Hla, adding his disappointment that no government officials had come to witness the situation.

Meteorologist Dr Tun Lwin said that Myanmar was experiencing an abnormal monsoon season.

“This year it is raining more at sea, than on the land, so we are not guaranteed enough rain this year,” said the weatherman.