At the harvest time of summer paddy in this year, the price of some of non-glutinous rice group including Emata cultivated in Yangon and Ayeyawaddy Regions has fallen compared to that of last year. Some of local residents said that farmers may suffer losses if prices are not good. The price in the previous year was more than Ks.2 million per 100 baskets but the price in the harvest time of this year is between Ks. 1.4 million and 1.7 million per 100 baskets depending on location and quality of paddy.
Although the current price may be favourable for a farmer who produce 100 baskets per acre yield, a farmer who produce 40 baskets per acre may face losses. Therefore, it may be favourable when the price of per 100 baskets for non-glutinous rice is Ks. 2 million, said U Than Soe, a paddy farmer from Pyabon Township, Ayeyawaddy Region.The current price of some of Pawsan group paddy was between Ks. 1.5 million and Ks. 2.5 million per 100 baskets, said some of Pawsan paddy farmers. The current price in summer harvest time is falling compared to that of last year and the market is fluctuating, said U Aung Myo Kyaw, a farmer from Okkan Township, Yangon Region.
The currently harvested summer paddy comes from early-planted fields and is expected to emerge abundantly only around the third week of March. Most farmers are worried that when paddy emerges abundantly, traders and rice millers will buy it at a lower price than the current market price. During the last rainy season, paddy fields were devastated by the weather and they are hoping for good prices in the upcoming summer season.The cultivation cost of one acre of paddy grown with natural water is around Ks.1.4 million, while that of irrigated paddy is around Ks.1.7 million.
