Cropping Characteristics in Myanmar with Some Case Studies in Shan State and Mandalay Division

Abstract

General aspects of rainfall, irrigation and crop production in the whole country of Myanmar were evaluated according to the statistical data. After that, cropping characteristics in the highland region of Shan State (south) and semi-arid region of Mandalay Division were introduced as case studies, based on the information obtained through visiting of some research farms under the Department of Agricultural Research as well as observation in the field survey. It was found that crops were selected depending on the rainfall conditions of the regions under the rain-fed agriculture. Different pulses and edible-oil crops were mainly cultivated in the dryland agriculture in the semi-arid region of Mandalay Division. Various crops of upland rice, maize, wheat, garlic, potato, ginger, taro, sweet potato, vegetables and some pulses were involved in the crop combinations with increasing annual rainfall in the upland agriculture in the highland region of Shan state (south). The main cropping pattern in the lowland agriculture in the highland region of Shan State (south) was cropping of paddy rice (monsoon paddy) and following crops such as garlic, niger, chickpea, sunflower and tomato. Under irrigated condition, dual cropping of monsoon paddy and summer paddy was performed.