By Kantarawaddy Times
Heavy rainfall has reportedly led to the rotting and deterioration of sesame fields belonging to displaced people near Pon Chaung in Dee Maw Hso Township, Karenni State. According to a displaced woman who spoke to Kantarawaddy Times, the crops are being damaged even during the harvesting process.
“This happens when it rains. Even when it doesn’t rain, the area around Pon Chaung is extremely hot. This week, there’s been more rain, and as we harvest the crops, the rain causes them to rot and spoil,” she explained.
The displaced communities primarily rely on sesame cultivation for their livelihood. There are seven displacement camps along Pon Chaung, and due to the large population, food shortages have been reported.
“The main crop we depend on is sesame. If we plant beans, they don’t thrive, and the yield is minimal. Here, sesame is the primary crop, with only small amounts of maize and rice,” the woman added.
She also mentioned that since the harvested sesame has not yet been sold, they have been forced to borrow money for food. The displaced people are concerned that the spoilage of the sesame crops may prevent them from recovering the funds needed to pay back rent for farmland and cover labor wages for harvesting.
While the current price of sesame is not precisely known, it has been reported that labor costs for harvesting can reach as high as 13,000 kyats per day
