Prices climb as scarcity mounts

IMNA, Panorkkyar

The price of goods exported from Thailand increased, as fewer goods from Thailand have been arriving in Moulmein, according to traders in Moulmein.

Two days ago the main stream of business in Myawaddy mountain road was blocked as heavy rains falling in the mountain made the road impassible, and the Gaying bridge remained damage, forcing most trucks to have to reduce their weight while heading in the direction of Myawaddy at Hpa-an .

“Commodities are not arriving in Myawaddy so we just have to sell what we have left from before,” said a bulk seller from Zaykyo. “Because of this we are having to raise our sales prices.”

The price of most goods has increased beyond what would have sold when they were readily available. Before, one bucket cooking oil increasing in price from 24,000 kyat to 28,000 kyat said one resident. Among other items increasing in price are shoes, slippers and spices.

“Before the road was damaged we made profits of 300,000 kyat for trading with Myawaddy to Moulmein, but now we can’t ship our goods. We are waiting for road to reopen and have to spend money eating here and are losing the time for our job” said a trader from Myawaddy.

As previously reported by IMNA, authorities have limited the weight trucks are able to carry across the Gyaing suspension .The Gyaing suspension bridge is part of the main road to Rangoon,_Hpa-an,_Moulemin and_Myawaddy explained the rice trader from Myawaddy.

The trader added, “The Gyaing bridge was saging and the stream of the business imports from Thailand is slower because most of the trucks have had to transfer their cargo to smaller cars to transport it past the suspension bridge – they can only pass if they reduce the weight of their load.”