Junta blockade takes financial toll on sugarcane farmers in Arakan State

By Admin 16 Dec 2023

DMG Newsroom
16 December 2023, Sittwe

Sugarcane farmers in Arakan State are facing financial losses due to the junta’s road blockades following the latest hostilities between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA).

Sugarcane growers say it is not cost effective as they are having trouble exporting and selling the sugarcane to other regions as the regime has blocked land and water routes to Arakan State since November 13.

“We sell sugarcane this time of year, but there is no sugarcane merchant. We cannot export sugarcane to other regions due to the junta’s road blockages,” said U Zaw Zaw, a sugarcane grower from Lanmadaw Village in Kyauktaw Township.

He continued that if the planted sugarcane is not sold for the next four months, the sugarcane plants will be cut down and thrown away.

Sugarcane is mainly grown in Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U and Ann townships and is shipped to various townships in Arakan State.

“Sugarcane is at a good selling time, but it has not been sold yet because there is no one to buy it,” said Daw Su Su, a sugarcane farmer from Aurama Village in Ponnagyun Township.

Many sugarcane growers faced financial losses as their farms were destroyed by Cyclone Mocha, which made landfall in Arakan State on May 14. Sugarcane farmers are worried that there will be difficulties in their livelihood as they are having trouble exporting and selling the sugarcane they have grown due to instability in Arakan State.

“We face livelihood hardships as we cannot sell our agricultural products. We suffer financial losses,” said a local farmer from Dar Lat Chaung Village in Ann Township.

It has been about one month since the regime blockaded roads and waterways in Paletwa Township, where locals are facing severe food shortages and price hikes.