People forced to grow physic nuts

HURFOM

The Burmese military regime is pushing people in southern Burma to grow physic nuts after forcing them to buy seeds at high prices.

After the onset of the rainy season as of May, the military regime has ordered people to grow physic nuts and forced people to buy the seedlings of the nuts at a higher price and then plant it.

The Township Peace and Development Council in Kyaikmaraw directed each family to grow 300 physic nut plants and pay Kyat 90,000 (US $ 72).

“The government officer sent 30 physic nuts seedlings to our village,” a villager said.

Depending on the status of residents in Thanpyuzayat Township, TPDC officers are selling physic nut seeds. A family is told to plant three kilograms of physic nut seeds and has to pay Kyat 3,000 (2.5 US $) per kilogram.

State owned television channel, MRTV is advocating the cause almost everyday by broadcasting how to grow the nut plant for the people’s benefit.

However local people in southern Burma do not seem to accept the government project. They are just growing what the government assigns and no one looks at it as a business project.

Many physic nut plants which were forced to be grown last year, died. Last year each family was asked to grow one to 10 physic nut plants in their home land. Most of the plants died.

But in Mudon Township the TPDC only ordered plantation owners along the highway.

Recently a Kyone Paik villager, near Mudon town was forced to clean the grass and make way for planting nuts along the main road so that it looks good during Lt.Gen Maung Bo’s visit.

The regime started the project two years ago to produce bio diesel to reduce importing diesel.

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