Rice shortages put thousands of Kyaukphyu IDPs at risk of starvation
DMG Newsroom
12 September 2026, Kyaukphyu
At least 5,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) sheltering in Kyaukphyu and Ramree townships are facing the threat of starvation due to severe rice shortages, according to the Zinchaung Youth Philanthropic Association.
Approximately 30,000 IDPs across eight displacement camps in Kyaukphyu Township, along with nearly 10,000 IDPs in Ramree Township, are suffering from food shortages.
Among them, 5,100 IDPs from the two townships require urgent food assistance, prompting the Zinchaung Youth Philanthropic Association to appeal for aid from all possible donors.
“We only had enough rice supplies through August. Currently, purchasing rice has become completely impossible. Bulk orders of 50 or 100 sacks of rice cannot be bought anywhere. With such a large displaced population, huge quantities of rice are needed. Even if funds are available, there is no rice in the market to buy. Displaced families are struggling for basic survival,” said Ko Naing Lin Tun, chairman of the Zinchaung Youth Philanthropic Association.
Severe rice shortages are affecting Station Areas No. 4 and No. 5 in Kyaukphyu Township, forcing local relief workers to procure rice from neighbouring Ramree and Taungup townships.
Ongoing military conflict has significantly curtailed agricultural activities across Kyaukphyu, Taungup and Ramree townships, leaving regional paddy yields insufficient even for local consumption.
“People in this area traditionally practiced small-scale subsistence farming. Due to the active fighting, farmers from rice-producing areas on Ramree Island have fled as IDPs. Existing rice reserves cannot meet demand, and currently cultivated crops are not yet ready for harvest,” a local man in Kyaukphyu Township explained.
Rice shortages across Arakan State have driven prices to record highs, creating severe hardship for local communities, with displaced populations bearing the brunt of the crisis.
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