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Lilia Bliznashka

Lily Bliznashka is a Research Fellow in the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit. Her research focuses on assessing the effectiveness of multi-input nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions and the mechanisms through which they work to improve maternal and child health and nutrition globally. She has worked in Burkina Faso, Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda.

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Development Strategies and Governance

Ian Masias

Program Head

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Bio

Ian Masias is a Program Head in the Development Strategies and Governance Unit, based in Portland, OR. He currently manages the Feed the Future Myanmar Agriculture Policy Support Activity (MAPSA), which seeks to improve governance in Myanmar’s agriculture sector. Since joining IFPRI, he has also managed the Nigeria Strategy Support Program (NSSP); the Feed the Future Nigeria Agriculture Policy Project (NAPP); the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy (FSP); the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutes, and Markets (PIM); the Flagship on Economywide Factors Affecting Agricultural Growth and Rural Transformation; and the Flagship on Cross-Cutting Gender Research and Coordination. Ian has lived and worked in Myanmar, Nigeria, and Japan and has experience working in Ghana.

Before joining IFPRI, he was a research support specialist at the Yale Law School Center for the Study of Corporate Law. He holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Connecticut.

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Brief

Combine harvester service providers in Myanmar: Insights from the 2025 monsoon season

2026Masias, Ian; Htar, May Thet; Oo, Theingi; Takeshima, Hiroyuki
Details

Combine harvester service providers in Myanmar: Insights from the 2025 monsoon season

This note presents results from a January–February 2026 phone survey of 325 combine harvester service provider (CHSPs), offering insights into the 2025 monsoon season. Key Findings Acres harvested declined by 11 percent (7 percent in the Dry Zone, 11 percent in the Delta), with 61 percent of CHSPs reporting lower demand, associated with poor rice price incentives in the Delta and movement restrictions in the Dry Zone. Nominal service charges fell by a median of 6 percent, concentrated in the Delta where fuel costs declined, while Dry Zone charges remained flat reflecting limited fuel savings and a restricted operating environment. Most CHSPs (91 percent) extended credit to farmers without interest, and 74 percent provided more financial assistance than the previous year, highlighting their role as an important source of informal credit. Cash flow problems affected 26 percent of CHSPs, driven by declining revenues and rising costs that may be understated in real terms given Myanmar’s persistently high inflation, with many coping by borrowing, selling assets, or drawing on other income. Emerging fuel supply disruptions linked to the Iran conflict pose a significant risk to the 2026 monsoon season, potentially limiting CHSP operations at a time when farmers may also face fertilizer shortages, threatening agricultural production. Recommended Actions De-risk credit for mechanization services by expanding farmers’ access to affordable formal credit or introducing partial guarantee schemes. Improve mobility and security for CHSP operations through greater transparency and reductions of checkpoints, fewer required permissions, and safer roads. Support training and retention of machine operators to address shortages driven by outmigration and insecurity.

Year published

2026

Authors

Masias, Ian; Htar, May Thet; Oo, Theingi; Takeshima, Hiroyuki

Citation

Masias, Ian; Htar, May Thet; Oo, Theingi; and Takeshima, Hiroyuki. 2026. Combine harvester service providers in Myanmar: Insights from the 2025 monsoon season. Myanmar SSP Research Note 130. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182639

Country/Region

Myanmar

Keywords

Asia; South-eastern Asia; Combine Harvesters; Monsoon Climate; Wet Season; Services; Development Aid; Farmers

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

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Report

Myanmar monthly food price report – March 2026

2026Htar, May Thet; Minten, Bart; Masias, Ian
Details

Myanmar monthly food price report – March 2026

Rice prices in March 2026 remained lower year-on-year (down 9 percent), although they increased slightly month-on-month, indicating a recovery following earlier declines driven by lower international prices and strong domestic supply. While easing pressure on consumers, these trends continue to raise concerns for paddy producers, who face rising input costs and fuel constraints. Export crop prices showed relatively limited movement this month, suggesting a pause in momentum after previous gains driven by the revised foreign exchange policy and stronger international market demand. Vegetable prices declined month-on-month, reflecting increased market supply during the peak harvest season. Prices of garlic, onion, and chili fell as new season’s produce entered the market, outweighing ongoing supply disruptions. In contrast, potato prices continued to increase due to weather-related production constraints, Animal-sourced food prices continued to rise sharply year-on-year, led by mutton, chicken, and fish, reflecting supply constraints, disease outbreaks, and strong export demand. However, month-on-month changes were relatively modest, indicating short-term price stability. The conflict in Iran has led to a partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which more than a quarter of the world’s oil exports and 20–30 percent of global fertilizer exports pass. These developments are especially concerning for Myanmar’s agrifood system, which depends heavily on fuel for transport, irrigation, mechanization, and processing. In addition, disruptions in fertilizer supply could adversely affect the upcoming monsoon season.

Year published

2026

Authors

Htar, May Thet; Minten, Bart; Masias, Ian

Citation

Htar, May Thet; Minten, Bart; and Masias, Ian. 2026. Myanmar monthly food price report – March 2026. Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report March 2026. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182568

Country/Region

Myanmar

Keywords

Asia; South-eastern Asia; Food Prices; Food Security; Crops; Agricultural Marketing; Rice

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Report

Resource thumbnail

Report

Myanmar monthly food price report – February 2026

2026Htar, May Thet; Minten, Bart; Masias, Ian
Details

Myanmar monthly food price report – February 2026

Rice prices in February 2026 remained significantly lower year-on-year (down 13 percent), although they increased slightly month-on-month, indicating an early recovery following several months of decline driven by lower international prices and increased domestic supply. While easing pressure on consumers, these trends continue to raise concerns for paddy producers facing rising input costs. Export crop prices strengthened this month, with pulses and maize increasing month-on-month supported by the revised foreign exchange policy and stronger international market demand. Vegetable prices showed mixed year-on-year trends but increased month-on-month, partly driven by seasonal demand during the Tabaung festival period. Supply disruptions, including weather-related production impacts, also influenced price movements for key crops such as potato and chili. Animal-sourced food prices continued to rise sharply year-on-year, led by mutton, chicken, and fish, reflecting supply constraints, disease outbreaks, and strong export demand. The war in Iran has led to a partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which more than a quarter of the world’s oil exports and 20–30 percent of global fertilizer exports pass. These developments are especially concerning for Myanmar’s agrifood system, which depends heavily on fuel for transport, irrigation, mechanization, and processing. In addition, disruptions in fertilizer supply could adversely affect the upcoming monsoon season.

Year published

2026

Authors

Htar, May Thet; Minten, Bart; Masias, Ian

Citation

Htar, May Thet; Minten, Bart; and Masias, Ian. 2026. Myanmar monthly food price report – February 2026. Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report February 2026. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182347

Country/Region

Myanmar

Keywords

Asia; South-eastern Asia; Food Prices; Food Security; Crops; Agricultural Marketing; Rice

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Report