COVID-19 impacts and adaptation in aquatic food supply chains in Myanmar - One year into the pandemic

Abstract

In 2020, we conducted a bi-weekly phone survey with 143 fish supply chain actors in Myanmar to assess impacts of COVID-19 on the availability and price of aquatic foods and production inputs. In 2021, we conducted a follow-up survey and re-surveyed 105 participants regarding their activity between the months of March and May. The sample comprised of the following: feed mills (2), feed sellers (pellet) (5), feed sellers (non-pellet) (1), fish hatcheries (10), fish farmers (30), fishers (25), fish processors (6), traders (11), and retailers (15). The first reported case of COVID-19 in Myanmar was in March 2020, followed by a lockdown “stay at home” strategy was adopted in April through July 2020. The data in 2020 was collected during this first lockdown. A surge in cases resulted in another lockdown in September through April 2021. Data in 2021 was collected at the end of this long lockdown period. A second wave of COVID peaked in July 2021, attributed to the Delta variant. This approach allowed for a comparative assessment of the impacts experienced by businesses and adaptations they made in response, one year on from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.