A buyer examines a walking tractor at the Good Brothers company’s showroom at the Bayintnaung Agro-based machinery Trading Centre last week. Pic: Aung Tun Win

DESPITE price rises, sales of agricultural machinery are booming as farmers prepare for the monsoon paddy and crop-growing season, sources at Yangon’s Bayintnaung Commodity Trading Centre say.

Higher orders from farmers preparing to grow paddy and crops have coincided with demand from private companies that are providing the equipment to farmers in the storm-hit areas in the Ayeyarwady Delta, resulting in brisk sales.

“Sales of agricultural machinery have increased about 40 percent from the previous month and there is only a small number of farm machines left here,” said U Aung Zaw Oo, the sales manager of Good Brothers, which sells agricultural machinery and tools.

He said sales had doubled compared to this time last year, including a 35pc appreciation during the current year due to a rise in world cast-iron prices over the past few months.

“Sales will continue to rise in the coming weeks and as the demand so far is increasing, it is likely to result in a shortage of machinery in the next few days. But we don’t intend to increase prices,” he said. “There will be new arrivals of agricultural machinery and tools from China at the end of this month.”

Yunfeng and Donfeng walking tractors are particularly sought-after items, with prices ranging from K1.5 million to K2.4 million.

According to market sources, sales of farm machinery are usually active between late April and late July, but cultivation is a month later than usual this year due to the effects of the cyclone. This means sales could go on increasing through the next two or three months.

However, despite rising turnover in new machinery, sales of spare parts and tools are down compared to this time last year, say dealers.

U Kyaw Myint, the owner of Kyaw agricultural spare parts and tools shop, says sales have declined to about 30 percent of last year’s levels.

“High demand during this period normally comes mainly from the Ayeyarwady Division, but most farms there were destroyed by salt-water during the storm and farmers cannot resume their work in time,” he said.

He said because the farmers lost their properties in the storm, they could not afford to buy tools and spare parts without help from relief donations.

“Sales of agricultural machinery are also up because donors are buying new machines. We have to rely on the buyers from Bago and Tanintharyi divisions and Mon State,” he said.

Other best-selling items in the market are diesel engines, showing a sales rise of about 35 to 40pc, said the dealers.

U Maung Than, the owner of Maung Than agricultural machinery shop in Bayintnaung, said sales at his shop rose in June compared with the previous month. “I’ve sold about 16 diesel engines per day during this month and sales could increase in the coming weeks,” he said. Diesel engine prices range from K250,000 to K750,000 depending on the horsepower.

Most agricultural machinery in the Myanmar market is imported from China, while some is assembled domestically.