Arakan News Agency | Exclusive
Farmers in Arakan State, western Myanmar, reported a sharp decline in the number of rice farmers in Maungdaw town, citing rising land plowing costs and a significant drop in the population due to the ongoing armed conflict.
Speaking to Arakan News Agency, they said the cost of plowing 0.8 acres (approximately half a hectare) has increased from 200,000 Myanmar Kyats last year to 300,000 Kyats this year, driven by rising fuel prices and a shortage of agricultural machinery.
One farmer from Maungdaw stated that fuel prices jumped from 3,000 Kyats per liter last year to 10,000 Kyats per liter currently, causing production costs to soar and making it difficult for farmers to continue rice cultivation.
He added that the significant population decline following intensified fighting has had a direct impact on agricultural activity. Most of Maungdaw’s Rohingya population fled to Bangladesh, while many ethnic Arakanese Buddhists relocated to Yangon.
Local sources noted that the town previously consisted of about 95% Rohingya Muslims and 5% Buddhist communities, but today, only around 25,000 Rohingya remain, alongside 20,000 people from other ethnic groups such as the Arakanese, Mro, and Hindus.
Farmers confirmed that this agricultural crisis is not limited to Maungdaw but extends to all areas under the control of the Arakan Army, where rising prices of fertilizers, fuel, and land preparation services have made farming extremely difficult.
The blockade imposed on Arakan State has caused a severe downturn in rice cultivation and sales a staple crop and key food source for many residents.
Arakan has become a battlefield since the Arakan Army launched a military offensive in November 2023 against the Myanmar Army in an attempt to gain control over the state. The AA has since taken effective control of large areas in the ongoing conflict, which has also severely affected the Rohingya, who are suffering from violence, forced displacement, and persecution by both sides.
This comes after the Rohingya already endured a genocidal campaign by the Myanmar military in 2017, forcing nearly a million of them to flee to Bangladesh.
