Potato farmers in Sint Kaing Township, Sagaing Region, Myanmar, report that cultivation areas have plummeted by 90% since 2021—from over 3,000 acres to just 300 acres today—with further declines expected. Although the land between the Salin and Irrawaddy rivers remains fertile due to regular flooding, farmers say rising costs of seeds, fertilizers, fuel, and labor have made potato growing unprofitable. Growing one acre now costs between 8 and 15 million kyats, while farmgate prices barely reach 4,500 kyats per viss (approximately 1.6 kg). A single tractor driver charges 20,000 kyats per meal, and daily wages for men and women range from 4,000 to 7,500 kyats, with additional risks in conflict zones driving wages even higher.
The situation worsened after a cold storage facility—where farmers had invested hundreds of millions of kyats to store seed potatoes for the 2024 and 2025 winter seasons—was 75% destroyed during fighting on December 22, 2025. Seed potatoes now cost 7,500–8,000 kyats per viss, and transport trucks face extortion of up to 100,000 kyats at checkpoints, while ongoing military tensions scare off carriers. As a result, many farmers are switching to cheaper-to-grow legumes like peas, chickpeas, and kidney beans. Even though La Niña brought favorable cool weather and good yields (averaging 4,500 viss per acre), low prices and market access issues mean summer crops will likely be abandoned, leaving agricultural laborers struggling for food and income.
