NAY PYI TAW December 2
Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met coffee entrepreneurs from PyinOoLwin in Mandalay Region at the town hall of PyinOoLwin this morning and discussed coffee cultivation.
Also present were SAC Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo,Union Ministers U Hla Moe and U Khin Maung Yi, Mandalay Region Chief Minister U Maung Ko, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the Central Command commander, members of the Mandalay Region Government and departmental officials from PyinOoLwin District.
Reports on cultivable land use, ground surveys and general requirements
First, Director General of the Agriculture Department Dr Ye Tin Tun explained coffee cultivation and production in Myanmar, exports, the cultivation of coffee and other crops in PyinOoLwin Township, use of cultivable land and ground surveys, and supervisory measures in line with the law, rules and procedures to ensure systematic cultivation of coffee on allotted land.
Next, the coffee entrepreneurs in attendance reported on sales of coffee in local and international markets and requirements for coffee cultivation and production, systematic reviews of construction of designated buildings in relation to coffee growing and coffee production on the allotted land and coffee tax reliefs, use of vehicles for business purposes, coffee cultivation and needs for capital loans.
Discussion in response to the reports
The Senior General said the coffee project has been implemented since the time of the Tatmadaw government. He had to put the project under review and scrutiny when taking office to make it successful. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation needs to make sure that coffee is grown on all project land plots and take supervisory measures in accord with the law and rules for systematic cultivation.
Coffee cultivation in PyinOoLwin contributes to regional development and economy, so efforts will be made for greater success. Taxation measures will be reviewed and taken to create an eco-tourism based on coffee cultivation. GAP certificates are being issued, and with progress in good practices, there will be tax reliefs, the Senior General said.
Union ministers’ discussions of coffee growing in PyinOoLwin Township
Union Minister for Cooperatives and Rural Development and for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Hla Moe and Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Khin Maung Yi explained government assistance for coffee growing in the townships to fulfil the needs for entrepreneurs, needs for actual growing of coffee and no other purposes on the allotted land, supervisory measures taken for those entrepreneurs who failed to follow the rules and regulations by repeatedly issuing warnings, and needs for seeking coordination with relevant ministries for techniques, inputs and capital loans necessary for coffee growing.
Encourage manufacturing businesses depending on locally available raw materials
The Senior General said nationwide inspection tours are being made for MSME development
and national economic growth and there have been about 10 tours. As part of the effort, frequent meetings have been held with coffee entrepreneurs in PyinOoLwin to discuss necessary matters and fulfil the requirements. MSME development requires for factors: raw materials, inputs, capital and human resources. In doing business, it is necessary consider production, trade and service. In meeting with MSME entrepreneurs from various regions and states, they reported on difficulties acquiring raw materials and human resources.
Difficulties will remain if raw materials are imported instead of local sources. There will be difficulty with sustainable production.
Therefore, manufacturing businesses relying on locally produced raw materials must be encouraged.
Seed, Land, Water and Technology
It is mainly necessary to ensure quality seeds, good land, adequate water, and correct technology in operating agricultural enterprises. Regarding coffee, there are parts of agriculture, production and trade.
Before the beginning of cultivating coffee, it is necessary to take a long-term view and consider meeting the set number of coffee plants in the cultivated area and production.
Only if quality seeds are chosen to be cultivated, will there be good in terms of yield and quality. Land preparation is to be carried out for good cultivation land. Coffee is in favour of wet season and water availability is necessary too. Fertilizer feeding is to be systematic and correct. Animal waste from local livestock enterprises is to be beneficially used for making bio-fertilizer. It is necessary to make systematic use of agricultural technologies. Capital investment is huge in the coffee cultivation industry. As it is a long-term business giveing time, success must be achieved in this industry with a constant observation on local and overseas markets. It should not be happy with a conventional way of cultivating coffee. There must be systematic cultivation and it is necessary to place the required inputs. If doing so, quality coffee could be produced and the government will cooperate in acquiring markets
for coffee products and ensuring quality products as well. Efforts necessary to achieve success as coffee industry is beneficial to region and nation
Our nation has plenty of agricultural products. There are seasonal crops, perennial crops and industrial crops in the country. Coffee is one of the perennial crops with a worldwide consumption market. Therefore, if success is achieved in this industry, coffee is beneficial to the region as well as the nation. It is necessary to cultivate coffee in accordance with the set rules and regulations too. Effective measures are to be taken for ensuring success.
The nation has about 49,000 acres of coffee. If there is an increase in the per acre yield, the gains will be different. It is to prefer to give more encouragement to having an increase in per acre yield rather than extension of cultivated acres. Increase in per acre yield will be coming along with more individual income. There will be an increase in the nation’s income too. If coffee products are able to be imported, there will be more foreign exchange earnings and of help to the development of the nation.
If value-added products could be manufactured and exported in local agricultural livestock enterprises, there will be more gains. Arrangements will be made to export value-added products through UMFCCI. I will be making arrangements for marketing Myanmar’s coffee. To have markets for our products, it is necessary to do advertising campaigns. To meet the requirements for markets, a quality production process is necessary. It is necessary to meet not only local demand of consumption as well as quality requirements.
Aimed to encourage local commodity production, substitute imports, be export items, MSMEs are being encouraged. With regard to loans, the State offers lower interest rates than foreign nations’. Arrangements are underway to disburse loans to ensure development of MSMEs. Loans will be disbursed to coffee cultivating enterprises at an appropriate interest rate.
Our nation has to import edible oil and fuels yearly. Fuels and fertilizers are imported for the agriculture industry. We are making efforts to be able to produce adequate chemical fertilizer for domestic consumption. It is urged to use natural fertilizer. I will be giving a hand for the development of the coffee cultivation industry as much as I can do.
After the meeting, the Senior General and party cordially met entrepreneurs in the coffee industry.
