The Prime Minister instructed officials to make efforts to meet the goals in agricultural sector as the agriculture and livestock breeding-based manufacturing and production can be successful and the socioeconomic life of the majority of the people will be developed. Meanwhile, over 27,000 acres of summer paddy are irrigated by Tabu Hla Dam in Yangon Region and it can also expand the cultivation of beans and pulses, winter sunflower and summer paddy than previous years.
The most summer paddy is grown in Taikkyi Township with 27,749 acres of summer paddy, 42,641 acres of beans and pulses, 7,994 acres of oil crops, 2,163 acres of winter sunflower and 889 acres of corns. The township Irrigation and Water Utilization Management Department makes arrangements regarding the dam water for expansion of cultivation. Some villages harvest the beans and pulses, winter sunflower and edible oil crops in the irrigated farmland areas and the farmers expect high summer paddy production rate with the access to dam water.
The farmland expansion is conduced year on year and the water is stored in the Tabu Hla Dam depending on the rainfalls. The department also conducts field study to utilize the dam water effectively and supply the surplus water to summer paddy farmers along the Yangon-Pyay Road.
The Tabu Hla Dam about 19 miles from east Okkan town supplies water to fields from left and right canals via Okkan creek. The right canal provides water to the fields in Okkan town while the left canal to Taikkyi and Hmawby townships daily. There are nine dams including Tabu Hla Dam in Yangon Region. The Tabu Hla Dam plays a key role for paddy and oil crops and it started supplying dam water for summer paddy cultivation on 15 December 2022 and will keep distributing until May.
“The summer paddy cultivation areas increase to over 1,000 acres. When the dam water is supplied, the paddy fields become green as far as the eyes can see. When the colour turns to yellow, it is time to harvest. We supply dam water when the paddy filed is over two months. We are very glad when the paddy field colour turns green and gold. The expansion of paddy fields is a sign of high summer paddy production rate of farmers and the summer paddy improves the incomes of farmers. Therefore, our department is always ready to develop the socioeconomic status of farmers,” said U Tun Nay Aung, staff officer of Taikkyi Township Irrigation and Water Utilization Department.
The dams are crucial to promote the State economy from the sectors of agriculture and livestock breeding which are also keys for the socioeconomic development of farmers. The balance between the strength of dams and agriculture and livestock brings benefits to the country and farmers. The government also provides the regular access to dam water and agrochemicals for the farmers.
The summer paddy in Tabu Hla dam water irrigated areas will be harvested in April and mostly in May. The earthern dam Tabu Hla has water storage capacity of 194,600 acre-feet. The 200ft spillway transmits water to fields in Taikkyi, Hmawby and Okkan townships via 600 feet long three pipes daily at 5,300 cubic feet per second greening over 27,000 acres of summer paddy, beans and pulses and oil crops. –Nyein Thu (MNA)/KTZH
