In Dahzon Village, located in Pannandin Township of Putao District, Kachin State, the price of a bag of rice is almost 300,000 kyats. This is primarily due to the challenging transportation situation and the resultant high transportation costs in the area.
The price of rice in Dahzon village - a junction village - has seen a substantial increase from 70,000 kyats per bucket (or 8 pyi) last year to 100,000 kyats per bucket this year, a source familiar with the area told Myitkyina News Journal.
"The main thing is that transportation fees have significantly increased. In Dahzon village, a bucket of rice now costs 100,000 kyats, which amounts to almost 300,000 kyats per bag. This is primarily due to poor transportation infrastructure in the area," said a close person.
Additionally, the source noted that while there is a road from Putao to Pannandin, the northernmost city in Myanmar, the journey from Pannandin to Dahzon village requires a four to five day walk and the route is challenging, leading to an increase in transportation costs.
"While there is a footpath available, it is not a smooth or level surface, requiring people to traverse up and downhill. Additionally, the footpath passes through dense forest areas, making it a challenging route to navigate. Local residents are forced to transport rice bags manually, which has contributed to the high cost of the commodity." explained the aforementioned person.
Rice traders typically only transport and sell their goods up to the village of Dahzon. Prices for other items in the area are also quite high: a pack of coffeemix, which costs 200 kyat, can cost nearly 1,000 kyats, while a can of soft drink may cost around 5,000 kyats. Some say that prices are even higher in the surrounding villages that purchase goods through Dahzon.
A resident who often goes to that area said, "It's not just the rice. The prices of all the products that come to that area are going up. The main reason is that it's difficult to get there. To reach that Dahzon village, you have to travel for a week."
Previously, the villages situated above Dahzon used to import goods from China, but due to the closure of the border gates following the outbreak of Covid-19, they have had to transport goods from the Putao. Currently, the price of rice is rising not only in Putao township but in almost every city.
Given that the region is cold, villagers are unable to grow rice and thus rely on cultivating crops such as corn and potatoes. They make a living by gathering forest products, as there are no significant income-generating activities available. As a result, the income they earn is primarily spent on food.
