In remote Nogmung (Naungmoon) Township in Putao District, northern Kachin State a 750 ml bottle of petrol has cost over 10,000 MMK for months.
Petrol sold to motorists in rural areas is measured out using old 750ml whisky bottles.
Previously, one such bottle of petrol would cost about 5,000 MMK and before the coup the price of a bottle of petrol in Nogmung Township was as low as 1,000 MMK.
The price of a bottle of petrol in Nogmung Township now ranges from 12,000 to 15,000 MMK whilst the price of one gallon (approximately 4.5 litres) of petrol has risen to between 60,000 and 65,000 MMK, according to a Nogmung Township resident.
He said: “Prices are not falling; they remain high. It has been a long time since a bottle of petrol could be bought for less than 10,000 MMK. An instant coffee mix pack is now selling for 1,000 MMK. The only thing you can buy with a 1,000 MMK banknote in this area is that coffee pack.”
The rise in fuel prices has made travel challenging for Nogmung Township residents, prompting them to walk for short trips that they would have previously made by motorbikes.
“Due to high fuel prices, most people are opting to travel on foot. Those who used to visit farms or take short trips to nearby areas are now walking. The rise in petrol prices has made using motorbikes a limited option,” said the aforementioned Nogmung Township resident.
Farmers in the township are also worried that fuel prices will still be high when the farming season resumes and they want the authorities to step in and regulate fuel prices.
Currently there is a junta ban on any fuel being transported to Kachin State, except for the state capital, Myitkyina City. Despite this, petrol is still available in Putao Town and petrol from there is now freely available in Nogmung Township. But, fuel prices in Nogmung township spiked when there were previous fuel shortages and they have not yet decreased.
All fuel and other goods have to be transported to Nogmung Township by truck from Putao Town and transport costs are often high, as a result fuel is not the only overpriced commodity in the township.
Rice there is expensive, with prices ranging from 150,000 MMK to 200,000 MMK per bag, depending on the type and size of bag. Other dry food items, along with cooking oil, onions, and garlic, have also seen continued price increases. Garlic imported from regions beyond Kachin State is now selling for around 1,000 MMK per bulb.
The price of medicines in Nogmung Township has also risen. A bottle of paracetamol tablets that previously cost around 5,000 MMK now costs over 10,000 MMK.
Most commodities in Putao Town are transported there from Myitkyina City. So, when commodity prices rise in Myitkyina City they tend to also rise in Putao Town and rise even more in the remote areas around the town, such as Nogmung Township, which rely on deliveries from Putao.
