Parliament’s ‘Farmers Affairs Committee’ must include members that truly understand the challenges faced by the agricultural sector as an increase in exports of Myanmar rice has not resulted in any significant improvement in the livelihoods of Myanmar’s farmers, said Dr Soe Tun, the chairman of the Myanmar Farmers Association on September 30.
“Despite the rise in rice exports, so far the standard of living for farmers has not improved. Although the rice prices have gone up, the basic cost of production increases every year, so nothing has changed,” said Dr Soe Tun.
Figuresfrom the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation show that Myanmar projects to export 2 million tons (about 2 million tonnes) of rice in the 2014-15 fiscal year, in comparison the 1.2 million tons exported in 2013-14.
Dr Soe Tun said he believed that parliament and the government needed to work with relevant authorities to address the rising production costs.
U Hla Tin, a farmer from Khin Oo village, Shwebo Township, Sagaing Division told Mizzima the shortage in farm labourers had driven the cost up fifty percent in the last two years and a shortage of cows was requiring farmers to invest in expensive mechanisation.
He said the cost of growing rice now reached about K200, 000 (US$200)per acre in monsoon season and about K250,000 ($250) per acre in the summer.
