The price of rice in Rakhine, which rose after cyclone Mocha hit, has not decreased until June 16, which is more than a month after the cyclone, and continues to rise.
According to residents, in Sittwe Township, the price of a bag of Paw San Hmwe rice, which was previously priced at over 90,000 kyats, surged to around 120,000 kyats after the cyclone hit. The price has remained high without any decrease up to the present day.
A female vendor at Sittwe Myoma Market shared with Narinjara, "Before the cyclone struck, I used to purchase a bag of Paw San Hmwe rice for over 90,000 kyats. However, since the cyclone hit, the price has soared to nearly 120,000 kyats. It remains at the same high price even now."
Thazin Khaing, a rice shop owner from Sittwe Township, stated that currently, rice shops are purchasing a bag of Paw San Hmwe rice from the rice mill at 110,000 kyats. They are then reselling it for prices ranging between 115,000 kyats and 120,000 kyats.
"When purchasing from rice mills, the current standard price for a bag of Paw San Hmwe rice is 110,000 kyats. However, when resold by rice shops, they add a profit margin of 5,000 kyats. Some sell it for 115,000 kyats, while others sell it for 120,000 kyats. It generally doesn't exceed that price," she said.
According to locals, the prices of other ordinary rice varieties such as Shwe Wah Tun, Thiri Don, India, and Hmawbi have been continuously increasing since the aftermath of the cyclone.
She further added that the price of Thiri Don rice, one of the ordinary rice varieties, has risen from 70,000 kyats to 80,000 kyats per bag after the cyclone. Similarly, other rice types have seen an increase of approximately 10,000 kyats per bag compared to their previous prices.
In Rathedaung township, where the entire township was destroyed by Cyclone Mohca, residents have revealed that a bag of Paw San Hmwe rice, previously priced at 99,000 kyats, is currently being sold for 130,000 kyats.
A young man from Rathedaung township expressed, "In Rathedaung, the price of a bag of Paw San Hmwe rice has reached as high as 130,000 kyats. Prior to the cyclone, it was only 99,000 kyats. The price surged following the cyclone, and it remains at that level."
According to a resident, in Kyauktaw Township, the price of a bag of Paw San Hmwe rice, which was previously over 110,000 kyats before the cyclone, is currently being purchased at rates of 125,000 kyats, 130,000 kyats, and so on.
Rescue organizations and individuals affected by Cyclone Mocha have reported that the cyclone, which struck on May 14, caused destruction in several townships in Rakhine State, including Sittwe. Even over a month since the cyclone hit, millions of people affected by the disaster continue to endure hardships without adequate shelter and food.
The individuals affected by the cyclone also expressed to Narinjara that their struggle to survive has been further compounded by the sudden escalation in prices of rice and essential food items in the aftermath of the cyclone.
The United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) announced that more than a million people were affected by the powerful cyclone Mocha, resulting in the destruction of 216,681 homes in Rakhine State.
On June 14, the ULA/AA announced that, even after more than one month since the cyclone, 70 percent of the individuals affected by the disaster are still in urgent need of emergency relief.
