More than 1,000 farmers staged a march-in protest in Thayawaddy Township in the western Bago Region yesterday, calling for promoting the life of farmers and fixing the floor paddy price at Ks 7,000 per basket. 

Kyaw Nyunt, a farmer from Koepinkoe village said: “The money earned cannot cover input costs. The price of summer paddy declined to Ks3,200 per basket. Farmers will be okay only when the paddy price is fixed at Ks around 7,000 per basket due to climate change.”

Farmers chanted: “To promote the life of basic farmers, To fix the floor price of paddy at Ks 7,000 per basket (weighting 46 pounds), to change the market policies and To amend the farmland law.”

Myint Tun, a farmer said: “Last year, I faced losses. The price of paddy is Ks over 400,000 per basket though the government has fixed the floor price at Ks 500,000 per basket. I faced a loss of Ks over 60,000 per acre if the paddy price is fixed at Ks 500,000 per basket. The per acre cost is Ks over 360,000. The paddy yield per acre is less than 65 baskets. The government is urged to fix the floor price of paddy at Ks7,000 per basket and not to put the life of famers in the hands of merchants. I would like to urge the government to know the real life of farmers on the ground. It is important that the farmers should not lose their lands, in the time of people-elected government.”