As Mandalay-Muse Union Highway is suspended, watermelon and musk melon farmers are planning to sell their fruits through Lweje border gate in Kachin State and Tarlot border gate in eastern Shan State.

“Some of our trucks are now on the trial route for selling our farm produce through Lweje and Tarlot border gates. Some are suspended in Bhamo and in Tarlot border gate, we are waiting for the approval of Chinese authority. Now is the time for harvesting fruits and farmers wanted to sell their fruits. As the northern road is suspended, daily wage workers and farmers are affected,” said a farmer.

At the Tarlot gate, musk melons fetched good price at the start but as the approval from the Chinese authority took a long time and high price in transportation charges caused losses.

“They have been named as fruits returned from Muse. As the roads are suspended, we are transporting them to Mongla. But, most of the fruits are ruined as we had to wait for the approval and due to long distance. Last year, melon farmers gained profit. This year, not only melon farmers but also Yangon fruit agents faced many losses due to flooding in lower Myanmar and clashes in northern Shan State,” said a melon grower.

Melons are grown in Shan State and central and lower Myanmar but melon plantations in lower Myanmar faced losses due to flooding.

Since October 27, clashes occurred in northern Shan State in Laukkai, Kunlong, Hsenwi, Lashio, Kutkai, Namkham including Chinshwehaw in Kokant self-administrative region between military and combined forces of MNDAA, TNLA, AA, BPLA, PDF (Mandalay). MNDAA issued a statement on closing Muse-Lashio Union Highway and Laukkai-Lashio Union Highway.

Melon growers are now using Mandalay-Bhamo-Lweje Road and Mandalay-Taunggyi-Kengtung-Mongla-Sarlot (Sitsaungpana) Road to sell their fruits to China facing many difficulties.  Transportation charge cost around 3 million per truck. A small size water melon cost Ks.4500 in local market.