Mai A Shai, July 17, Kyaukme
Tea farmers in Kyaukme, a northern Shan State township controlled by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, are struggling to sell their raw and dried tea leaves, as the trading has shut down following repeated junta airstrikes on the town, according to the farmers.
“There are no more buyers coming to the farms for tea leaves. Many tea leaf warehouses have already shut down; there’s nowhere left to sell. Since the bombings, tea traders have fled to places like Mandalay and other areas,” a Kyaukme tea farmer lamented.
On June 24, Myanmar’s junta military launched an airstrike on Kyaukme’s crowded Sanpya fried rice shop. Since then, residents have been afraid to leave their homes, leading to the closure of some shops and the flight of many residents from town.
Following the initial attack, continuous junta airstrikes targeted civilian areas in Kyaukme in subsequent weeks, leading to a rising death toll. From June 24 to July 13, the junta launched at least six airstrikes on Kyaukme, killing at least 6 civilians and injuring dozens more.
Another tea farmer stated that they’ve had no buyers for almost a month.
“It’s been almost a month with no buyers at all. We also can’t travel to other places like Mandalay, and local buyers in Kyaukme have fled the town,” said the farmer.
Kyaukme, a crucial tea trading hub in Myanmar, is home to numerous tea leaf warehouses, serving farmers not only within the township but also from other parts of northern Shan State.
Currently, tea farmers in Kyaukme are unable to sell their cultivated and picked tea leaves. Warehouse owners, traders, and buyers have all fled the town, unable to operate amidst the threats of continuous junta airstrikes.
Translated by Mai A Shai
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