Junta’s rice transport ban hits Mongnai farmers hard

The junta’s strict rice export restrictions have left Mongnai locals in southern Shan State unable to sell their crops, causing significant economic losses.

Mongnai, a major rice-producing town, faces economic hardship as junta restrictions block rice exports to other regions. A local farmer in Mongnai lamented that 16 bushels of rice, which sold for 500,000 MMK last year, now fetch only about 400,000 MMK due to junta restrictions, with demand remaining low.

“Last year, we got 500,000 MMK for 16 bushels, but this year we only got 400,000 MMK. There are very few buyers, and we mostly depend on the mill owners. If they don’t buy, we won’t be able to sell our rice anywhere,” he told Shan Herald.

When the junta banned rice transportation outside the town, mill owners could not export the rice they had already milled and had to store it, making it difficult for them to purchase new supplies.

“Rice can’t be transported because the junta is enforcing stricter inspections. The mill owners are struggling too since they can’t sell the rice they’ve stored, so they can’t buy new rice from us,” another Mingnai resident said.

Following the junta’s closure of Friendship Bridge 2 in Myawaddy Township, Karen State, a major border trading point with Thailand, Tachileik Town in eastern Shan State was used as an alternative for trade. Since early September, however, the junta has imposed tighter restrictions on Thai imports there.

Not only that, the junta also banned the movement of goods to mainland regions.

As resistance forces took control of border posts, the junta, fearing that trade could boost these groups financially and organizationally, began cracking down.

On August 12, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing declared such trade illegal and ordered arrests.