Due to lack of irrigated paddy field, rain-fed paddy makes main crop in Myeik

Myeik paddy growers mainly cultivate rain-fed paddy in Taninthayi Region due to a lack of irrigated paddy fields where summer paddy are grown with irrigation from dams, U Win Myat Soe, an officer from the township agriculture department, said.
“The main weakness of our Taninthayi Region is that there is no irrigated field in the region. As we rely on rain for paddy cultivation, we can plant only monsoon paddy. If we have irrigated areas, we can ensure the local food security by planting,” he said.
Myeik Township is one of the most populous townships in Tanintharyi Region. According to the Department of Agriculture, the population was around 300,000 in 2019-2020 due to the economic development of the area and the influx of people from other areas. With 42,493 acres of monsoon paddy, 76 per cent of local food security is covered and the rest 24 per cent is bought from other regions and states.
The Myeik Township Agriculture Department provides the good paddy seeds to the hand of the local farmers who convert to good seed plantations and establish the Model Good Seed villages. Doing so will increase yields per acre and meet 24% of local demand next time, he added.
The Department of Agriculture is working with farmers to switch to high-yield paddy seeds.
Farmers are also educated on planting techniques in the field to cultivate modern farming methods. They know that paddy yields increase if they cultivate them with modern methods. Due to the shortage of labour and high daily wage, they are only using the traditional method, said U Tun Oo, a farmer from Thakan Taungpu village.
There are 42,493 acres of monsoon paddy in Myeik Township every year. Local paddy varieties such as Aung Sein Rwe; Dawei Ma, Kyway Pyay, Nga Sein, Paul Lagae, Sabar Maung Kyi, and sticky rice are the main crops grown area.
Many farmers are also cultivating high-yielding Sinthukha paddy. According to local farmers, the yield of local paddy seeds is 40 to 50 baskets per acre. The yield of high-quality paddy seeds is 90 to 100 baskets per acre. – Myint Oo/GNLM