Farmers in Demoso Township, Karenni (Kayah) State are concerned that they will not be able to harvest over 500 acres of rice fields because of fighting due to a junta offensive.

A farmer said: “The rice crops are ready to harvest, and we expect to begin harvesting by the end of September. However, some rice crops are still in the middle stages of growth, we are concerned they might also be affected. We worry that we will starve if we cannot harvest [our rice].”

Since the third week of August, approximately 200 junta soldiers began an offensive from Loikaw Town along the  Loikaw to Demoso Union Highway. Villagers worry that the presence of junta troops will prevent them from harvesting rice in the villages of Dawpoesi, SanPya, Chaukmaing, Ngarmaing, Bettalain, Wamtlatwar and other nearby villages.

Another farmer said that villagers from Demoso Township who were planting a second rice crop  have been forced by fighting to flee their villages and return to displaced persons (IDP) camps.

Despite many residents of Karenni State having been displaced for four years they are doing their best to plant and harvest rice.

A farmer said that some farmers in Demoso and Loikaw Towns in Karenni State have started farming again and that there are now over 1,000 acres of paddy being farmed in the two townships, but of those over 500 acres were in or near conflict zones.

One farmer explained that it is also costly to plant rice. He said: “A significant cost is incurred [when we plant rice]. Not counting the cost of harvesting, the cost comes to approximately 2 million MMK per acre.”

Since Operation 1111 was launched in Karenni State, on 11 November 2023, revolutionary forces occupied the villages of Dawpoesi, San Pya, Chaukmaing, Ngarmaing, Bettalain, and Wamtlatwar on the Loikaw to Demoso Union Highway. But, junta forces retook all these villages in the third week of August.