Tomato growers are pleased with the good prices they are getting during harvest time in Mahlaing Township.

Of the several varieties of tomatoes, Myanmar and Shan produce were mostly cultivated earlier, said growers. But now, most regions are cultivating tomatoes supported by sticks, they added. A viss (one viss equals 1.6 kg) is currently fetching over K1,000, and growers are pleased with the successful cultivation amid poor rainfall in the region, according to a tomato grower in Mahlaing Township.

Although tomato and tamarind are normally sent to the Yangon market, growers receive a small share of the profits due to the high transportation fees, said a tomato broker.

There are 247 villages in Mahlaing Township, and most of the residents are cultivating tomato. As Mahlaing Township in Meiktila District, Mandalay Region is located in the central region of Myanmar, crops often fail and the yields are low due to poor rainfall. Therefore, residents have taken up both farming and cattle breeding to earn a living.

Kyaw Kyaw (Mahlaing)
(Translated by La Wonn)