Onion farmers in Pwintbyu Township, Magway Region who are worried that fighting may be imminent have harvested their onions early and are making a loss because their harvests and crops are smaller than usual.

Due to rumours of upcoming fighting between local resistance forces and the junta in Pwintbyu Township, caused by increased junta military activities and reinforcements in the area, many onion farmers in the township have decided that it would be better for them to cut their losses and harvest early. Even if that means, compared to normal years, that harvests will be far less, onions will be smaller and of poorer quality and the farmers will make a loss, according to an onion farmer who spoke to Than Lwin Times.

He said: “We've been through this before, having to displace during the time for irrigation and pesticide spraying in onion plantations. This has led to lower yields and poorer quality onions. Now, even though farmers know harvesting early will mean lower selling prices, they have no choice but to do it.”

To make the situation worse for the farmers the wholesale price being offered for onions has dropped nearly a third from last year from 2,0000 MMK a viss (approximately 1.7 kg) to 1,300 MMK a viss. Also, as they are selling before the normal harvest season there are only two wholesalers currently buying onions in Pwintbyu Township.

The aforementioned onion farmer said: “With all the rumours, only two traders are buying onions right now. We harvested early too and sold for as much as we could while things were still calm.”

Currently farmers who have harvested their onions in Pwintbyu Township are only able to sell them for two thirds of what they invested in growing them, meaning that they have lost a third of their investment which could cause many of them financial hardship.