CNI News

23 February 2024

The cultivation area may decrease in the next corn planting season because the profits are low from corn, according to corn farmers. As the local corn price depends on the ups and downs of the global corn price, local corn price is falling.

Because the price of corn at the port of Yangon is only 1,100 kyats per viss, farmers get only 900 to 1,000 kyats per viss, said farmers. As it will be convenient for farmers to get 1,200 kyats per viss, farmers might grow other crops in the corn growing season. So, corn cultivation.

So, corn cultivation could be reduced by about one third, Ko Min Khaing, a corn farmer from Ayeyarwady Region, told CNI News. 

While seeing a corn wholesale center (Xinhua)

"If the corn price is not good this year, corn cultivation acres could be reduced a lot. Farmers don't make a profit because the inputs are expensive. So, farmers will grow other crops instead. In any case, farmers can make a proper profit only when they can sell their corn at 1,200 to 1,250 kyats per viss. Corn cultivation may be reduced by about one third in Ayeyarwady Region."he said.

The cost for an acre of corn cultivation was over 10 lakh kyats and the money returned is only nearly 20 lakhs. So, that amount of money could not cover the wages and inputs that were invested and the cost for replanting, said farmers.

Corn farmers in northern Shan State found it difficult to reap the corn due to the battles this year and because of difficult transportation, they had to sell the corn at a lower price reportedly. 

While seeing a corn wholesale center (Xinhua)

Because farmers may lose due to the current drop in corn prices, in the coming corn planting season, corn cultivation could be reduced by half, U Kyaw Moe, secretary of the Northern Shan State Corn Industrial Association, told CNI News. 

" In my opinion, corn cultivation could be reduced by 40 or 50 percent. They will grow corn in the end because they have no alternative but to grow corn. The corn cultivation will surely be reduced by half.”he said.

Green peas and green gram could be grown instead of corn in the coming corn growing season reportedly. Corn is grown most in northern and southern Shan State, and Ayeyarwady Region. 

Corn is grown a little in the western part of Bago Region, Naypyidaw, Mandalay Region, Magway Region and Kachin State.