Kantarawaddy Times
Sesame crops grown by internally displaced people (IDPs) in a camp on the eastern edge of Dee Maw Hso Township, Karenni State, are experiencing significant losses.
“The roots of the plants have rotted, then the leaves fall off and they die. It happens deep down in the base of the plant. When you pull it out, we found out that the root of the plants is no longer there. It looks like something has bitten through it. The root is dead,” said a member of the IDP camp committee who is sesame farmer.
IDPs cultivating sesame in this camp have faced two consecutive years of losses. In previous years, the majority of IDPs experienced crop failures, leading to financial losses with only a few able to harvest their crops.
Due to their displacement and lack of alternative income sources, they continued to cultivate sesame in hopes of better yields in the future.
“The sesame farming has resulted din looses . Last year, we all lost income due to the crop failures. Only a few families can make profits. When you calculate the cost of seeds, labor, and everything else, there’s nothing left. We thought maybe if we try again this year, it might be better, so we keep planting” stated the committee member.
While this year’s sesame harvest has shown slight improvement compared to the previous year, IDPs remain concerned about market prices. They fear they may not receive fair prices for their crop.
The IDP camp houses around 70 families who rely solely on sesame cultivation as their primary source of income and livelihood.
