Charcoal and gas prices have surged in Tedim Town, Tedim Township, northern Chin State, following the junta’s blockade of the vital Kale-Taingen (Siyin) Road linking Kale in Sagaing Region to northern Chin State.

Although the Chinland Defense Force-Civic Defense Militia Siyin (CDF-CDM Siyin) has announced the reopening of the Kale-Taingen Road, the junta continues to block the section near Shu Khin Thar area, on the outskirts of Kale Town, leaving travelers unable to use the route.

As a result, the number of trucks reaching Tedim has dropped sharply, forcing residents to rely on alternative routes, mainly using motorbikes, to bring goods into the town.

“The main highway is closed right now, so we can’t use it. Tedim is facing a serious shortage of charcoal—nothing is coming in from Kale. On top of that, the weather’s been really rainy, which makes it almost impossible to produce charcoal in the highland areas here. Some people are turning to gas instead, but refilling is hard and expensive. Firewood prices have also gone up. The poor, especially those who survive on casual labor jobs, are struggling a lot. Most goods only come into town maybe once a week, and even that isn’t consistent.

Previously, a bag of charcoal in Tedim cost between 15,000 and 18,000 MMK, but prices have now surged to 22,000–25,000 MMK. Similarly, the price of one viss (about 1.6 kilograms) of gas has climbed to 21,000–25,000 MMK, while the cost of a ton of firewood has risen to 150,000–200,000 MMK.

Normally, the journey between Kale and Tedim takes just a day, but due to current transportation challenges, trucks often spend two nights and three days on the road.

Currently, with the Kale-Taingen Road inaccessible to locals and travelers, people are using the Peimpi bypass, while trucks are primarily taking the Waibula-Var Road.