Burmese military junta authorities and traders have been buying rice for providing ration to the army in villages in Tarchilek township, eastern Shan State, locals said. The farmers are being forced to sell rice at half the market price incurring huge losses.

The authorities have been buying rice in Mueng Phon track in the golden triangle area, a local said.

"Para militias are also involved. Actually, it's a group of traders, who requested the Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) to collect army rations. Clerks of the Village Peace and Development Council and traders have ordered farmers to sell five baskets of rice per acre."

A local close to the authorities confirmed that the Shan state eastern military commander has officially ordered District and Township Peace and Development Council offices to implement the process of collecting rice.

They have been buying rice in Sang Puu, Wam Pon, Wam Ton, Wam Mai, Phet Hei, Wam Nar, Tar Hkut, Wei Ley Ngern, and Nam Loat village in Mueng Phone track (A) and (B).

The area has less yield of ordinary rice. The villagers mainly grow sticky rice. Therefore farmers have to exchange the sticky rice and buy ordinary rice. Then farmers are forced to sell the ordinary rice to authorities.

Currently, the price of ordinary rice per basket is 6,000 Kyat. So, farmers have to buy one basket for 6,000 Kyat and then sell it at 3,100 Kyat to the authorities incurring a huge loss. Another local said that they have to sell at excess weight. 

"Authorities buy rice at 3,100 Kyat per basket. They take 23 kilograms per basket, when a basket has only 20 kilograms."

Farmers have to sell rice annually to the junta. If the government buys rice at current prices, farmers can sell it. But the regime is buying at a much lower price and demand excess weight. Farmers as such are dissatisfied.
"We don't want to sell rice to the army at this price but we are afraid and have to sell at a low price," he added.