Magwe Region Government plans the growing of cotton instead of pigeon peas in coming growing season (U Win Maw Htay, Regional Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation)

The Magwe Region government will arrange the growing of cotton instead of pigeon peas in coming growing season, Regional Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Win Maw Htay told The Myanmar Times.

Pigeon peas are one of the crops that lost access to the Indian market after the country changed regulations for the import of pulses and beans earlier this year. “The ministry will organise educational talks for farmers to show them the financial viability of switching to planting cotton. There will be forcing of farmers to grow the alternative crop but farmers are encouraged to voluntarily switch to cotton,” he said. 

The Magwe Region government will arrange the growing of cotton instead of pigeon peas in coming growing season, Regional Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Win Maw Htay told The Myanmar Times.

Pigeon peas are one of the crops that lost access to the Indian market after the country changed regulations for the import of pulses and beans earlier this year. “The ministry will organise educational talks for farmers to show them the financial viability of switching to planting cotton. There will be forcing of farmers to grow the alternative crop but farmers are encouraged to voluntarily switch to cotton,” he said. 

“The yield per acre (0.4 hectare) of cotton is 400 to 500 viss (650 to 815 kilogrammes) and the current price is about K1400 per viss, they can earn K 700,000 for 500 viss. These earnings are nearly equal to 100 baskets of rice an acre. So, it is quite profitable and thus we will talk the farmers about cultivating cotton,” he explained.

The ministry is aiming to targets the areas where soil and weather are suitable for cotton and when the production is stable, it will try to penetrate the export market, he added.

Following the change in India’s regulations, the number of farmers growing pigeon peas has declined. Previously, many farmers in the region used to grow crops - black beans, sesame and pigeon peas – over the course of a year. 

Currently, cotton is grown for domestic use and is not exported.

The ministry is urging farmers to consider growing other crops based on market conditions, said the ministry’s assistant secretary U Myo Tint Tun.

Cotton is currently cultivated in Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay regions in Myanmar’s central plain area due to the suitable weather. –

(The Myanmar Times: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/magwe-aims-replace-pigeon-peas-cotton.html )

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