Over 70,000 acres of monsoon crop plantations flooded in July, says Myanmar's junta govt

Donors distributing food to flood victims in Mawlamyine Township in early August. - Myanmar Eleven Media/ANN

YANGON, Aug 14 (Eleven Media Group/ANN): More than 70,000 of over 16.5 million acres of monsoon crop plantations grown in Myanmar in the rainy season of the current 2020-2021 fiscal year were submerged in July due to floods caused by heavy rain and high tide, according to the ministry of agriculture, livestock and irrigation.

Shortly after the plantations were damaged or destroyed, the ministry issued notices to local farmers to take measures for re-cultivation such as substitution of their crops with reserved saplings, direct seeding with the use of drum seeder, use of Dapog method, transplanter machines and systematic drainage system, combined use of natural fertilizer and Pale chemical fertilizer and use of pesticide if necessary.

Agricultural sector represents 30% of the country’s GDP while 68% of rural people rely on agriculture for their livelihoods, according to the ministry.

As part of Myanmar’s Covid-19 Economic Relief Plan (RERP), Ks14,911.33 million has been spent on production of seeds for 100,000 acres and Ks6,000 million on livestock breeding.

The State has allotted Ks92.61 billion to remedy the Covid affected agricultural sector and help develop the socio-economy of rural people.

Under the National Food and Agriculture System Project (NFASP), relevant departments are implementing their respective tasks with a Covid response fund of Myanmar kyats equivalent to US$12.589 million in the current financial year.

A loan agreement was signed between Myanmar and the World Bank on Aug 4, 2020 in order to implement the NFASP with a loan of US$200 million. - Eleven Media Group/ANN