CNI News
11 July 2022
It has been difficult to transport fertilizers in townships around Pakokku, according to farmers and merchants.
Farmers, who came to sell onions in Pakokku from other townships, bought fertilizers for their farms but truck drivers have refused to transport them, member U Hla Thaung of Pakokku Township Traders and Brokers Association told the CNI.
U Hla Thaung said, “Farmers who came to our commodity brokerages said that truck drivers have not been allowed to transport fertilizers. Farmers from Pale, Monywa, Yaw, Pauk, Seikphyu and Salin usually come to Pakokku to sell onions but when they tried to bring back fertilizers on their way home, truck drivers refused to transport them.”
During the last onion cultivation season, farmers had to use cattle manure for fertilizers due to high prices and shortages and as a result, onion yields dropped.
Transportation of onions
When farmers try to bring back fertilizers to their villages for the upcoming cultivation season, it is impossible to transport fertilizers as truck drivers have refused to carry them. They have not found a way to overcome the difficulty, according to U Zaw Htay, an onion farmer.
“We cannot buy fertilizers in our villages. Fertilizers are available in Pakokku but truck drivers have refused to carry them to our villages. We do not know what to do. We are still looking for ways to overcome it,” he told the CNI News.
As fertilizers have been used on most farmland in Myanmar for years, crop yields will drop when fertilizers cannot be used, according to farmers.
A farmer ploughs the land
When cattle manure is used for fertilizers, crop yields drop by half, U Hla Thaung told the CNI.
“If fertilizers can be used, onion yields are as high as 5,000 visses per acre. Onion yields drop to 2,500 or 3,000 visses when cattle manure is used for fertilizers. Fertilizers cannot boost yields while cattle manure alone cannot.” he added.
Transportation of fertilizers is not officially restricted in townships around Pakokku but security personnel at check-points have told truck drivers who carry fertilizers to turn back.
Truck drivers told farmers that they have refused to carry fertilizers as they are controlled tightly.
