New Delhi (Mizzima) – Farmers in Central Burma are worried over the late monsoons, which are hampering the cultivation of monsoon paddy.
 
According to a local farmer in Pegu Town, farmers in Daik Oo Township of Pegu Division were only able to cultivate about one-third of their fields, because the monsoons have arrived late this year. It had only begun to rain, since the first week of June.
 
“The main problem of late monsoons is shortage of water. So, we could cultivate in areas, where it rained. Since there was no water supply from any reservoirs also,” the farmer said.
 
Daik Oo is known for its fertile land and for its high yield. However, the farmer said, “Only two thousand acres of land out of more than ten thousand acres in the area have been cultivated in this monsoon season.”
 
In previous years, by the beginning of June, farmers in Pegu would have completed cultivation, but due to the late monsoons this year, farmers only began work in their fields in June, he said.
 
Another farmer said, due to the delay in cultivation caused by the late monsoon showers, the rate of paddy production would be likely to decline.
 
“The paddy production rate might be lower, as in some farmlands there has been no cultivation yet and the rain is negligible,” farmer said.
 
Similarly, farmers in Sittwe, Mruak Oo, Yateh Taung and Maung Daw Townships in Arakan State in western Burma also reportedly faced difficulties while cultivating paddy because of the late monsoons.
 
“In some areas, there has been rainfall, but it is too little,” a sales staff from a store, which sells agricultural materials in Sittwe, capital of Arakan State said.
 
He also said, the late monsoons had caused sales of agricultural tools to drop as farmers were unable to begin their work in the fields.