Shortages of essential items at markets have caused price hikes in Maungdaw Township. The cost of rice, garlic, onion, dried chili, edible oil, vegetables and fish have skyrocketed due to the dwindling supplies at hand in the township in northern Arakan State.
Villagers from Udaung village market reported to Kaladan Press Network that a 50 kg bag of rice is being sold at between 20,000 to 21,000 Kyat--a substantial increase from January when it went for 18,000-19,000 Kyat. The price of meat, oils and onions has increased by as much as twenty percent in recent days. Garlic costs about one third more.
An anonymous villager said fish shortages in markets were related to restrictions on Rohingya barred from fishing in Naff River and the Bay of Bengal.
Other food items such as egg, chili, and vegetables have also increased and putting more pressure on impoverished villagers struggling to survive said local Nurul Huda.
Kaladan Press Network has obtained information that onion and garlic is now being smuggled from Bangladesh.
Edited by BNI Staff
