June 24, 2024

The Myanmar Rice Federation has announced that households in the Yangon Region can purchase rice bags at fixed prices by presenting their household registration document and a national registration card of one of the household members. Each household is eligible to buy one bag each of Shwebo Pawsan and Eimahta rice per month.

The association has set the price for a bag of Shwebo Pawsan rice between 135,000 and 145,000 MMK, Ayeyarwady Pawsan rice between 110,000 and 120,000 MMK, and Eimahta rice between 72,000 and 75,000 MMK.

This decision follows the questioning of some rice traders, including Myanmar Rice Federation Chairman Ye Min Aung and Chairman of the Bayintnaung Rice Market Lumaw Myint Maung, by the authorities. Subsequently, the Myanmar Rice Federationannounced on June 23, 2024, that they would sell rice at affordable rates to the people of Yangon Region.

Currently, the market price of raw rice is over 5,000 MMK per Pyitaung, and polished rice is around 10,000 MMK per Pyitaung. At the wholesale markets, Eimahta rice is sold at 3,000 MMK per Pyitaung, while Pawsan rice is sold at 5,000 MMK per Pyitaung, with sales open from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the Wah Tan and Bayintnaung markets.

In the open market, the price for a bag of Shwebo Pawsan is close to 180,000 MMK, while a bag of raw Eimahta rice costs around 100,000 MMK. Since the military coup, the value of the Myanmar kyat has plummeted, leading to significant increases in the prices of foreign currencies, gold, and essential commodities, including vegetables, rice, and oil.