Diesel urgently needed for Myanmar farmers to plant rice: UN

BANGKOK: Myanmar’s farmers urgently need one million gallons (4.5 million litres) of diesel fuel to plough their rice paddies and help feed cyclone victims in coming months, the United Nations said on Friday.

Noeleen Heyzer, executive secretary of the UN Asian economic body ESCAP, called on neighbouring countries, donors and oil suppliers to help as the rising price of oil affects fuel supplies to the impoverished nation.


Diesel was needed to assist with urgent planting of rice seed, without which the critical monsoon harvest will be lost across the cyclone-ravaged Irrawaddy Delta the country’s rice-bowl.

“The window of opportunity is very short, and the need is of the utmost urgency,” Heyzer said.

“The planting season in the delta is June to July, after which it will be too late, with disastrous consequences for food security in Myanmar and the region.”

Economic Times