Extreme heat, water shortages damage paddy fields across Arakan

By Admin 11 Nov 2026

DMG Newsroom

11 November 2026, Mrauk-U

Paddy fields across Arakan State are turning yellow and reddish before drying up completely amid soaring temperatures and water shortages, with farmers reporting severe heat damage to their crops.

High temperatures and inadequate water supplies have left many paddy fields parched, causing rice plants to wither and fail to develop grain-bearing heads.

Extensive crop damage has been reported in Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U and Anjanapura townships.

"With the extreme heat, there is no water left in the paddy fields. The soil in the fields has dried up completely, and the rice plants are withering," said Daw Hla Mya Oo from Kyaukkyat Village in Mrauk-U Township.

Farmers in Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U and Anjanapura townships had already suffered crop damage from flooding during the previous rainy season, forcing them to replant their fields.

As a result, farmers said they had to spend twice as much on agricultural inputs for their current crops.

Some farmers reported that as many as five out of every six acres of their paddy fields had withered due to heat and water shortages, leaving the plants unable to develop grain-bearing heads.

"Many paddy fields have scorched and burned under the intense sun. Once that happens, the crops fail to head completely, or if they do, the grains end up hollow," said a farmer from Mrauk-U Township.

With drought conditions persisting during the critical paddy-heading period, rice plants are suffering from severe water stress, raising concerns about substantial crop losses and reduced yields this year.

As agriculture is a primary source of livelihood in Arakan State, farmers are urging relevant authorities to provide assistance to help address their difficulties.

"Farmers are facing immense difficulties. Due to irregular rainfall, the yield will vary greatly depending on whether early-maturing or late-maturing rice varieties were planted. Rice prices will also drop as soon as the harvest arrives, so the government should intervene and help stabilize prices for farmers," said U Maung Maung Than, a farmer from Mrauk-U Township.

Farmers in Arakan State are also facing high production costs, including expensive imported fertilizers, plowing fees and harvesting expenses. They fear heavy financial losses as low yields coincide with falling rice prices.

Agricultural and livestock experts have urged farmers and livestock breeders to remain vigilant, warning that the global El Niño phenomenon could bring severe droughts, heatwaves and sudden storms to Myanmar.