YANGON, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The rising cost of fuel is hitting daily life across the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar. What was once a manageable daily expense has rapidly turned into a severe threat to people's livelihoods, especially for farmers.
Tint Lwin, a rice farmer in his 40s who owns about 30 acres of land in Bogale township in Ayeyarwady region, said harvesting costs have surged due to the diesel price surge in just a few weeks.
"Diesel was about 11,000 kyats (about 5.2 U.S. dollars) per gallon before. Now it is over 40,000 kyats," he said. "We cannot even buy what we need all at once."
While expenses climb, incomes have not kept pace. Paddy prices remain low, leaving farmers with little margin. The fuel price hike is widely seen as a direct consequence of the Middle East conflict that has disrupted global supply chains and unsettled international markets.
"Not only are we not making a profit, some farmers are facing losses," he said. "If this continues, we may not be able to plant as much as before."
Across the Ayeyarwady region, where agriculture supports most households, farmers said diesel is both essential and increasingly unaffordable.
Farmer Daw Thaung Aye said fuel is needed at nearly every stage of farming.
"We rely on diesel for everything, from harvesting to running plowing machines," she said. "Now the price is so high that we have to reduce usage. It affects our production."
To keep working, many are borrowing money just to continue farming," she added.
Fuel prices have nearly doubled since late February across the Southeast Asian country. According to Myanmar's Petroleum Products Regulatory Department, fuel prices in Yangon have surged since late February. The price of 92 RON rose from 2,415 kyats per liter on Feb. 28 to 4,735 kyats by April 20, while 500 ppm high-speed diesel increased from 2,565 kyats to 6,485 kyats.
"As fuel prices rise, the cost of all commodities goes up," said Aung Aung, a 32-year-old IT professional in Yangon.
Travel has become especially expensive. During the Thingyan holiday, fares surged sharply.
"Normally, hiring a five-seater car from Yangon to my hometown Bogale costs about 150,000 kyats. During Thingyan, it went up to 220,000 kyats," he said.
Limited fuel supply has also disrupted basic routines. "During Thingyan in our village, we couldn't use water pumps this year because we couldn't buy fuel," he said.
In Yangon, taxi drivers said they are caught between rising costs and fewer passengers. "Fuel prices have almost doubled, but we cannot charge double," said Ko Aung Ko Latt, a 46-year-old driver.
"It is tough. I see fewer passengers today," he said.
Long queues at fuel stations have added to the strain. "In the past two or three weeks, we've had to wait in long lines for fuel," he said.
Similar pressures are being felt in another big city Mandalay, where drivers report higher costs and long queues for fuel, though some said conditions have slightly improved.
"Prices and fares have increased. We still have to wait in long queues for fuel. But the queues are not as long as before," said Kyaw Kyaw Tun, a 31-year-old tricycle driver in Mandalay.
To ease fuel demand, authorities have introduced measures, including fuel rationing, a QR code system to limit purchases, and an odd-even vehicle rotation scheme for private cars. The government has also implemented work-from-home Wednesdays for public employees since March 25.
According to the report from state-owned daily The Global New Light of Myanmar on Monday, the government has been distributing locally produced diesel directly to farmers at a rate of 10,000 kyats per gallon. (1 U.S. dollar equals about 2,100 kyats) ■