Sittwe: The Burmese Army has recently announced it will purchase paddy from 10 out of 17 townships in Arakan State for army rations beginning January 2010.

The paddy will be bought from Buthidaung, Rathidaung, Ponna Kyunt, Kyauk Taw, Mrauk U, Pauk Taw, Min Bya, Ann, Kyauk Pru, and Taungup.

The army will buy the paddy from Arakanese farmers through army brokers as well as several buying centers to be opened in several villages in the 10 townships.

The army announced it will pay the prevailing market paddy price of 90,000 Kyats for 100 baskets.

Paddy yield was abundant this year in Arakan State but farmers are unhappy with the low selling price of rice over the last two years.

Arakanese farmers have not had the chance to sell their rice to other parts of Burma or abroad because of a government ban on the trade. Burmese military authorities do not allow Arakanese farmers to transport rice from one township to another in order to control the prices in Arakan State.

Given this regulation, Arakanese farmers have to sell their paddy to the Burmese Army at low prices every year.