Monday, March 16, 2009

Summer paddy, sunflower thriving in Maungtaw Township


I had one more opportunity to recently visit Maungtaw and it was the ninth time. Under the arrangements of Chairman of Mawtaw District Peace and Development Council U Aung Swe Nyunt and Chairman of Buthidaung Township Peace and Development Council U Nyan Myo, I proceeded to Maungtaw from Buthidaung by car.
Chairman of Maungtaw Township PDC U Khin Maung Tun waited for me at the office of the District PDC, and then accommodated me at the Strand Yeiktha. He explained to me the programmes for the visit to thriving summer paddy and sunflower plantations in Aungsitpyin Village, 25 miles from Maungtaw.
The following day, I left together with Chairman of Township PDC U Khin Maung Tun and township level departmental officials for Kyeinchaung Village by car along Maungtaw-Kyeinchaung Road. I saw thriving summer paddy and sunflower plantations on either side of Myothagyi Village of Maungtaw Township. Moreover, lush summer paddy plantations, cold season crops and kitchen crops plantations welcomed us along the road from 3rd-mile gate to Kyeinchaung Village.
It is worthy of praise for the successful cultivation of summer paddy and cold season crops in Maungtaw region surrounded by seawater. On our way to Kyeinchaung Village, I took photographs on the lush and thriving Yadana Aung strain summer paddy plantation on 27 acres of land.
The chairman of Township PDC and members of the Agricultural Supervisory Committee said that they made field trips to the villages four days a week and provided fertilizers and agricultural methods to the local farmers.
We saw thriving sunflower plantations at every village. The road from Kyeeganbyin to Kyeinchaung Village is a tarred road section plus gravel road section. I had visited Kyeinchaung Village five times from 1996 to 2001. Thanks to concerted efforts of the Township Development Affairs Committee, the Kyeinchaung-Maungtaw Road can be used in all seasons. Relying on the road, village-tracts and other villages are enjoying fruits of development in education, social and economic sectors.
At 12 noon, we arrived at Aungsitpyin Village. Chairman of Township PDC U Khin Maung Tun explained cultivation of sunflower to provide assistance for the staff of his office (General Administration Department) and for boosting production of edible oil.
“Our GAD grows 130 acres of sunflower for providing K 3,000 for one viss of sunflower oil to the staff. There are over 100 staff. The sunflower plants are grown on the lands in 109 villages with a view to enabling the local people to understand sunflower cultivation methods. To get the correct cultivation methods, the farmers from Pyawbwe Township from Mandalay Division were invited to demonstrate the cultivation of sunflower as the practical work,” said the chairman of the Township PDC. Next, the chairman and the agricultural supervisory committee members conducted me round the thriving sunflower plantation.
Sunflower plants are thriving on 2,569 acres— 130 acres cultivated by Maungtaw Township PDC, 1,629 acres by local growers and 800 acres under supervision of the Township PDC. After visiting 57 summer paddy plantations at Gyitchaung Village near Kyeinchaung Village, the Chairman of Township PDC and party explained to me cultivation of paddy plantation with the use of water pumped from the creek.
Head of Township Irrigation Department U Khin Zaw said, “Our Township grew 5,258 acres of summer paddy. By spending the funds of Township GAD, Gawrakhali, Meetaik, Myawtaung and Thechaung Dams were constructed, and the Irrigation Department built 17 dams including Mawrawady and Tharaykonbaung Dams.
Some of them are for the purpose of supplying drinking water.”“Our Township put 5,229 acres of summer paddy against the target of 5,000 acres in 2007-2008. The paddy yield was 76.91 baskets per acre. To boost paddy production, Rakhine State Peace and Development Council distributed fertilizers at the fair prices to the local farmers. Moreover, a total of 11,133 acres of edible oil crops, 23,589 acres of beans and pulses and 7,902 acres of kitchen crops were planted in the township,” Head of Township Settlement and Land Records Department U Hla Tun Pru added.
Furthermore, Township Manager U Thein Wai of Myanma Agriculture Service explained the rices of vegetables and kitchen crops. During the tour I visited villages one after another. Despite tiredness, I was really pleased with the concerted efforts of the staff to supply water for agricultural purpose and for boosting production of paddy and other crops.

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