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Extensive use of agrochemicals with long-lasting residual action is certainlynot desirable. Preventive measures, surveillance and scouting, combinedwith the introduction of reasonably resistant varieties (rather thanincreased use of agrochemicals), should constitute the long-range strategy.There were some reports of indiscriminate use of agrochemicals, including afew incidents with fatalities.A lot more needs to be done in the field of agrochemical utilization beforeit can contribute significantly to rice production. Especially wanting are effortsto promote protective clothing, correct dispensing, proper use of applicators,containment of health hazards, and use of antidotes in emergency cases.Agricultural loansIn this period, agricultural loans played an increasingly important role as theneed for agricultural credit became critical. The new technology required moreinputs and needed more hired labor, and this meant additional cost to thefarmers. The government was the sole agency that provided agricultural loans,since private moneylending was declared illegal. Aside from the very fewprivate moneylenders taking the risk, government loans adequately coveredthe farmers’ cultivation costs.During this period, changes in lending agency, lending amount, lendingrate, and lending procedures were instituted. The State Agricultural Bank,which undertook loan disbursement, continued its business with greaterefficiency and confidence. The Department of General Administration stoppedits loan disbursement activities in 1965. The State Agricultural Bank wasrenamed Myanma Agricultural Bank (MAB) in 1976, and it took charge ofseasonal, medium-term, and long-term agricultural loans. The amount ofagricultural loans increased greatly, especially after 1978 when the WTRPPwas launched. The lending rate also rose substantially to help solve thefarmers’ credit problem.MAB loans were granted through village banks. Farmers were charged12% interest per annum and were asked to leave 1% of the loan as compulsorysaving. The MAB charged the village bank 8% per annum, leaving 4% ascapital to be used by the village bank. The MAB also gave the bank a 10%commission on the loan principal recovered, plus 2% on all interests recovered.It could now accumulate these earnings and use them for future lendingwithout the assistance of the MAB. This change in procedures, with the closesupervision of the SACS before 1974 and the People’s Councils after that,contributed to the smooth disbursement and repayment of loans. The nationalrecovery rate for seasonal loans has averaged more than 90% since then.Agricultural loans, thus, supplemented the original objective, with quite atangible contribution to rice production.RICE PRODUCTION UNDER THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC GOVERNMENT 75
The amounts of agricultural loans given to rice and other crops are givenin Table 43. The annual loan disbursement of 57 million kyats in 1960 increasedto 1.19 billion kyats in 1985. The increase in agricultural loans was steady until1978, when a drastic increase occurred. Rice loans comprised 85-88% of thecrop loans. From 1974 to 1977, loan disbursement for rice went down as theTrade Corporation (the agency responsible for rice procurement) used an"advanced purchase" system in rice surplus areas. Rice loans disbursed by theMAB during these years were only for areas without procurement centers. Theadvanced purchase system was discontinued after 1978 when the MABresumed loan disbursement.Such high disbursement of loans after 1978 could be attributed to theexpansion of area devoted to MVs and to the higher lending rate. The lendingrate was 19.77 kyats/ha in the previous period, rising to 29.65 in 1962, 74.13 in1963, 86.49 in 1967, and 172.97 in 1977. These lending rates, fixed for all ricevarieties, were given in two installments—70-80% was disbursed beforecultivation, while the remainder was given at harvest. Since 1978, farmers hadrequested that loans be divided into two equal parts—one half before cultivationand the other half just before harvest. In 1981, the lending rate was raised twice(345.94 kyats/ha) to meet extra expenditures for labor and other inputs.In 1978, the MAB also made loans available for the purchase of draft cattle,power tillers, and water pumps. Crop loans, however, remained a majorcomponent of the lending operations.Improved lending procedures and closer supervision by responsiblepersonnel resulted in high loan repayment. A repayment rate of 90% comparedfavorably with 78% in the previous period. The high repayment rate alsoindicated the profitability of modern rice technology.An ADB agricultural sector survey team estimated that the MAB loanscovered approximately 80% of the credit requirement for rice (ADB 1985). InTable 43. Agricultural loans (million kyats) granted In selected years, 1960-85. aYear Rice All crops % share of rice Remark19601970197419781979198019811982198319841985-124.71.1693.4720.8701.41040.81063.71040.41055.11033.957.4151.43.3809.6845.5826.51176.41210.11190.71218.71197.6-82338685858888878786Not mentióned separatelyAdvanced purchase systema Sources: For 1960 data, SRUB 1970; for 1970-72, SRUB 1974; for 1974, SRUB 1977; for 1975-78, SRUB 1979; for 1979–82, SRUB 1984; and for 1983-85, SRUB 1987.76 A CENTURY OF RICE IMPROVEMENT IN BURMA
Page 3 and 4:
The International Rice Research Ins
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Rice trading 29Rice milling 29Rice
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ForewordRice dominates Burma’s ec
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ice production in the last decade.
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CHAPTER IIntroductionBurma is situa
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1. Trends in rice area and producti
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3. Soil distribution.INTRODUCTION 5
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and the rest of the country in 1885
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Rice production growth during this
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4. Rice threshing with cattle.5. Ri
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7. Transplanting.Farmers classify r
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8. States and Divisions (1-7 are di
Page 43: Table 11. Rice mills, 1894-1934 (DA
Page 51 and 52: Rice area and productionAlthough th
Page 53 and 54: Table 16. Rice production in select
Page 55 and 56: Tenants of State Agricultural BankA
Page 57 and 58: in 1960, representing a 17% increas
Page 59: Table 20. Summary of extension acti
Page 62 and 63: Table 24. Rice procurement by diffe
Page 64 and 65: This trade reduction severely affec
Page 66: conditions and a weak international
Page 69 and 70: the design, implementation, and eva
Page 71 and 72: Table 27 indicates the areas plante
Page 73 and 74: The coastal zone comprised four ric
Page 78 and 79: In the meantime, local researchers
Page 80 and 81: Table 35. Rice area planted, by gra
Page 83 and 84: All fertilizers were imported until
Page 85 and 86: points, 3) availability of cash amo
Page 87: hispa Hispa armigera. Though annual
Page 91 and 92: from double-cropped areas (Table 44
Page 93 and 94: when investment in the agricultural
Page 96 and 97: The program brought research and ex
Page 98 and 99: Table 46. Average area of responsib
Page 100 and 101: established practice among farmers,
Page 102 and 103: 12. Voluntary labor harvesting rice
Page 104 and 105: of harvesting. It sought voluntary
Page 106 and 107: nents that a larger project would r
Page 108 and 109: Table 48. Changes in area planted t
Page 110 and 111: Table 50. Average yield and product
Page 112 and 113: Results of analysisOf the variables
Page 114 and 115: Of the 19 variables used, 11 were s
Page 116 and 117: weather that it influenced rice pro
Page 118 and 119: Table 54. Present level of technolo
Page 120 and 121: size of holdings, 40% of the prize
Page 122 and 123: average yield at that time was 2.20
Page 124 and 125: Table 59. Monthly transactions of t
Page 126 and 127: Table 61. Irrigated areas for rice,
Page 128 and 129: Table 62. Tillage operation by trac
Page 130 and 131: 18. AFPTC rice procurement center.A
Page 132 and 133: Table 65. Annual rice procurement (
Page 134 and 135: for seeds; still others sold their
Page 136 and 137: primarily to help achieve the AFPTC
Page 138 and 139:
Table 67. Annual rice production an
Page 140 and 141:
Table 68. Comparison of paid-out co
Page 142 and 143:
CHAPTER VImplications for the futur
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agricultural research can be brough
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Motivation of scientistsUnder these
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or as individuals. Research is to b
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CHAPTER VIConclusionsBurma’s econ
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References citedAdas M (1974) The B
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SRUB—The socialist Republic of th
Page 157 and 158:
Appendix 1 continuedSown area Produ
Page 159 and 160:
Appendix II continuedShareRice a Al
Page 161 and 162:
Appendix IV continuedYear Exports Y
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Appendix VIcontinuedVariable Symbol
Page 165 and 166:
All combined1977-84 1977-78 1978-79
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Appendix VIII. Correlation coeffici
Page 170 and 171:
IndexAdas, M 6Africa 125, 137Agricu
Page 172 and 173:
farmers 6-9, 13, 18, 23, 25-26, 29,
Page 174 and 175:
Okpo Small Loan Department110, 111O
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