Burma has resumed exports of rice after a nearly six month ban that the
government imposed after cyclone Nargis swept across the country's main
rice growing region.
The storm devastated Burma's Irrawaddy
Delta in May. Burma's military junta imposed the export ban because of
concerns the country would not have enough rice to meet domestic
demands.
The region is Burma's rice basket, and produced more than 60 percent of the country's crop before Nargis struck.
The
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says 16 percent of
Burma's rice paddies were seriously damaged by the cyclone.
And
in the aftermath of the storm, the FAO also estimated some 52,000
farmers would not be able to plant new crops over the monsoon season
without $83 million in help.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.
