Myanmar Faces Deepening Fuel Crisis, Stalling Harvests and Fueling Long Queues

Myanmar, reliant on oil imports, is facing a dual shock as deepening fuel shortages, exacerbated by the aftermath of a military coup and a recent earthquake, paralyze rural harvests and urban daily life. The country, which imports the majority of its oil, is already grappling with the lingering effects of the 2021 military takeover and last year's major earthquake. The recent instability in international oil prices has further heightened food security concerns.

In the Ayeyarwady Delta, Myanmar's largest granary, rice is being left in the fields despite being past the harvest season, as farmers lack fuel to operate combine harvesters. Even manual harvesting is hindered by a shortage of fuel for threshing machines.

In Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, residents face waits of up to six hours at gas stations, with some stations completely out of stock. Gasoline prices on the black market have more than doubled compared to official rates.

The Myanmar military junta has implemented an alternating rationing system for fuel distribution based on the last digit of vehicle license plates. Despite additional fuel imports from Malaysia and Singapore, the country suffers from a structural weakness of relying on weekly imports due to insufficient storage facilities.