Residents say the cost of a sack of rice has risen sharply in recent months, while irregular work and limited income are making basic food increasingly difficult to afford.
by Hafizur Rahman
Arakan State, 2 September 2026: Rising rice prices are putting growing pressure on Rohingya families in Kyauktaw Township, where residents say the cost of one of the most basic household staples has increased sharply in recent months.
Rohingya residents told Rohingya Khobor that a 48-kilogram sack of rice that cost around 70,000 to 75,000 Myanmar kyats (MMK) about two months ago is now selling for roughly 85,000 to 120,000 MMK in parts of Kyauktaw.
Residents said prices vary depending on the area and type of rice, with considerably higher prices reported in some locations.
The increase comes as food prices are rising elsewhere across Arakan State. Recent reporting from Kyaukphyu and Thandwe has documented sharp increases in the prices of rice and other essential goods amid conflict, transport disruption and restrictions on the movement of supplies.
For Rohingya families in Kyauktaw, residents say the problem is made worse by low and irregular incomes.
Local day labourers can earn around 15,000 to 20,000 MMK on days when work is available, according to Rohingya residents interviewed by Rohingya Khobor.
“Rice has become too expensive for ordinary families,” one Rohingya resident said. “We have to think many times before buying even one sack because our income is not enough.”
Another resident who depends on daily work said higher food prices leave families with little money for other necessities.
“If we earn 15,000 or 20,000 kyats a day, most of it goes to food,” the resident said. “Sometimes we cannot work. When rice prices rise like this, there is almost nothing left for other needs.”
Rohingya education workers are also feeling the pressure.
A Rohingya volunteer teacher told Rohingya Khobor that he is currently teaching without payment while trying to support his own family.
“We want to continue teaching our children, but we also need food for our families,” he said. “We are receiving nothing, while the price of rice keeps increasing.”
Rohingya Khobor could not independently verify the exact market prices or wage figures provided by residents. However, reports from other parts of Arakan State have also documented steep increases in food prices in recent weeks.
In Thandwe Township, for example, local reporting in August put the price of some 50-kilogram bags of rice at between approximately 200,000 and 260,000 MMK, depending on quality and origin.
The rising cost of staple food is particularly severe for families whose incomes depend on irregular daily work. Residents fear that if prices continue to rise, they will increasingly have to reduce food purchases or cut spending on other basic needs.
