The basic commodity prices in Myeik Township are increasing due to the delay in road travel and the high cost of transportation, sources said.
Retailers and shoppers said that the prices of basic commodity prices are not on the downward side, but are rising.
"Starting from rice, the prices of all household items and food items have gone up. White rice which was more than 2,500 kyats per basket previously is now about 4,000 kyats per basket. Now, a basket of broken rice costs more than 4,000 kyats, and a basket of Pawsan costs 6,000 to over 7,000 kyats. The price of an egg is up to 350 or 400 kyats," said one of the vendors.
In the past, palm oil was about 3,000 kyats per viss and currently, a viss of palm oil costs more than 9,000 kyats.
"It's not just basic food that's going up. The prices are going up all the time. The price of rice is increased because of farming costs, the different inputs, scarcity of farming and expensive equipment. In addition to this, pesticides related to agriculture are also expensive. Some items, such as pesticides, are imported from abroad, so the price is even higher. Not only that, the transportation cost and the delay in the journey make the price to increase," said a green vendor at the Shan Chaung Green Market.
The basic commodity prices in Myeik town are 300 kyats for 30 kyatthas of pumpkin, 4,500 kyats per viss for potatoes, 4,000 kyats per cauliflower, 4,000 kyats per viss of eggplant, 7,000 kyats for carrots, 1,500 kyats per gourd, over 9,000 kyats per viss of palm oil, 20,000 kyats per viss of pork, 18,000 kyats per viss of chicken, 29,000 kyats per viss of sausage, over 50,000 kyats per viss of dried prawn and dried fish, 300 to 500 kyats for a bunch of water convolvulus and roselle, 100 kyats per lime, 300 kyats per lemon, 200 kyats per mangosteen, 150,000 kyats per bag of Pawsan rice, and about 95,000 kyats per bag of Super broken rice.
Due to frequent clashes on Union Road in Tanintharyi Region, road travel delays, damaged goods, high transportation costs and many other costs on the road, the prices of goods are increasing.
