Paddy Harvesting starts in Maungtaw Township

November 16, 2016

Now is the time to enjoy beautiful scenery in thriving paddy fields across Rakhine State which look like golden beds of rippling paddy as local people are busy harvesting and winnowing paddy in their farms.

“Our family earns our income relying on this farm business. We have 20 acres of farmland. It can produce 50 or 60 baskets of rice per acre.  Monsoon paddy yielding is gradually reduced more these years than previous years' said a farmer from Myothagyi Village of Maungtaw Township.

In Maungtaw District, most of the locals mainly earn their money in the farming and fishery industries. After harvesting monsoon paddy, they grow winter crops such as beans and pulses, chilies, egg plants and tomatoes on a manageable scale.

“Altogether 14 acres of monsoon paddy were grown this year. We don’t have our own farmland. We rent them from others. We have to return 25 baskets per acre to the owner. For this year, I think we can produce a little bit more paddy than the previous years. Last year, we got only a few benefits from farming. We can get at least 200 baskets for us.” said a farmer U Aye Thar Kyaw of Myothagyi Village.

In Mauntaw District, local farmers mainly produce paddy crops such as Manaw ThuKha-2, SinthweLatt, Yadana Aung, ThiHtat Yin and paddy strains fromVietnam.

“We planted only 3 acres of monsoon paddy to cover our few family members. Thus, we didn’t plant monsoon paddy so much compared with previous years. Monsoon paddy can be produced in this area. Summer paddy yielding is a little bit less in this area. All seasonal crop production rates are lessening these years because we could not afford to feed fertilizers because of its high cost. Previously, we could not afford chemical fertilizers; only natural fertilizers like cattle’s faeces. Later, we could not afford any fertilizers” said a farmer U Shwe Hlaing Maung of Inn Din village in Maungtaw Township.

While covering the news in Mawyawady village, we found that farmers are harvesting their paddy using harvesting machines. 40 harvesting machines are being provided to farmers by the Agricultural department and some local farmers have attended a training course with the help of departmental personnel.

Along Buthidaung-Maungtaw road, Maungtaw-Kyein Chaung road, and along the way to Taung Pyo-LetWei  and also along the way from Maungtaw to Alae Than Chaung village, we saw thriving paddy fields where some farmers are harvesting themselves while some are using machines.

According to most local farmers, they cannot afford the cost of fertilizers and pesticides after growing paddy. Thus, it can reduce per acre yielding. If the government provides support to them, it will gain a lot of benefit.