Rice prices in Khaunglanhpu Township, Putao District, Kachin State, have surged to around 500,000 MMK per bag following road damage.
Since the first week of June, heavy rains have severely damaged the road linking Putao, the district capital, to Khaunglanhpu Town, and repairs have yet to begin. As a result, trucks are unable to use the road, making it difficult to transport rice and driving up prices, a Khaunglanhpu resident said.
“There isn’t a complete shortage of rice in Khaunglanhpu Township. Some rice bags are still coming in, but only in small amounts. Big trucks can’t bring in rice right now, so it’s being transported little by little on motorbikes, which makes the transportation charges much higher. Because of that, the price of a bag of rice has gone up to 500,000 MMK. At the moment, trucks simply can’t reach Khaunglanhpu,” he told KNG.
Before the road was severely damaged, a bag of rice in Khaunglanhpu cost around 300,000 MMK, but the price has now risen to about 500,000 MMK, while lower-quality rice sells for around 400,000 MMK.
Transporting a bag of rice by small cars from Putao to Ridam Village, the transit point between the two towns, costs 80,000 MMK. From there, moving it by motorbike to Khaunglanhpu costs an additional 65,000 MMK per bag.
Currently, not only rice but also other basic staples in Khaunglanhpu, such as oil, salt, onions, and garlic have seen prices skyrocket, with some items completely out of stock.
On the Putao–Khaunglanhpu Road, the section between Ridam and Khaunglanhpu was damaged by a landslide in March but was repaired by locals. However, the current damage can only be fixed after the rainy season ends.
This road is also the sole route for transporting goods into Khaunglanhpu Township. This dirt road is difficult for vehicles to navigate even under normal conditions.
Naungmon, another town in Putao District, is also facing transportation difficulties similar to Khaunglanhpu, as heavy rains have destroyed at least five bridges on the road connecting it to Putao since June.
