Hnin Nwe Ni, Narinjara News, 15 June 2024

The goods, shipped from Yangon by cargo ships to Sittwe of Arakan State, areyet to reach and it causes price rises of essential commodities.

A female resident of Sittwe revealed that due tocyclone Remal that struck Bangladesh and Myanmar on 27 May the cargo ships were blocked inYangon. As of 14 June, the blockade to  Sittwe continues.

"Earlier the price of an egg was Kyats 600 andnow it costs Kyats 1200 per egg. A small piece of meat at any restaurant maycost Kyats 4,000 and a piece of fish costs Kyats 5,000. The  eggs andcoconuts reached Sittwe from Yangon by the ships,” she added.

In November 2023, when the Arakha Army (AA) and juntaforces renewed gun fighting, the junta soldiers blocked the land and waterwaysin Arakan State.

When the residents of Sittwe started ordering  food items through airlinespaying high prices,  the junta forces allowed cargo ships to resume theoperation to Sittwe in April.

However on 30 May, as a loaded ship was restricted in moving from Yangon toSittwe citing the weather situation.

"The ship carried eggs, onions, dried fishes,tamarinds, coconuts, etc and it was supposed to arrive in the beginning ofJune, but it did not reach Sittwe till date,” asserted the lady.

"When the ships arrive, essential commoditiescost moderately. The waterways to  Sittwe have been blocked by the juntasoldiers because of weather conditions,”  said a Muslim youth from ThaeChaung village under Sittwe township.

Now the Sittwe residents are facing the shortage ofThiri Don rice-variety, whereas Paw San Hmwe and glutinous rice grains remainavailable in the market.

It’s understood that many bags of rice grains are nowstuck in Yangon port. If the situation does not improve, the residents willface a severe shortage of food items in the coming days.