Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing meets MSME entrepreneurs from Shan State
NAY PYI TAW March 7
Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met MSME entrepreneurs from Shan State at Town Hall in Taunggyi this afternoon and discussed regional and economic development.
Present together with the Senior General were SAC Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo, SAC members Admiral Tin Aung San, Dr Kyaw Tun, Union ministers, Shan State Chief Minister U Aung Zaw Aye, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Command Commander Maj-Gen Hla Moe, deputy ministers, Shan State level officials, local elders and officials.
Individual presentations on MSME operations and requirements
The chief minister reported on MSME development undertakings, local and foreign investments, MSME operations, crop production, industrial zonewise implementations, courses on manufacturing, valueadded good production, one village one product businesses, production exhibitions, loans for farming and production businesses, and future programs for MSME development.
U Aung Win of Loimway Co Ltd, Daw Khaing Soe Thu of Moekaungkin Kayah Sausages Enterprise, Chairman U Aung Khin of Shan State (South) Myanmar Fruit and Flowers Exporters Association, farm entrepreneur Dr Sai Lon, U Myo Thet Lwin of Shan Orchard Ghee enterprise, and other attendees reported on production of valueadded traditional food items, remaining issues in connection with external distribution and production growth, exportation of fruits and flowers of Shan State, extension of avocado cultivation, capital for further development of agriculture, government sponsored G2G programs for avocado export, capital for turning fruits into valueadded products, government assistance for upgrading research labs, land for business extension, production roads and electricity supply for production businesses, assistance for potato cultivation in Naungtaya area, support for improving ser-vices of private hospitals, technological and financial support for development of local rice mills and organic fertilizer production in Inlay region. The Senior General asked for more information and looked into the requirements.
Sectorwise clarification of Union ministers
As regards the individual reorts,Union ministers and deputy ministers explained ministrywise implementations, procedures to contact the relevant ministry that will distribute soilfriendly potato strains and to quality rice seeds, proper means to reclaim land for agriculture and receive financial aid, soft loans for business extension, provision of machinery and financial capital for rural development, socioeconomic development and income generation through establishment of cooperative societies, means to contact local branches of departments under the relevant ministries that are distributing quality seeds and other inputs, ministrywise and region/state-wise support for MSME development, industrial registration services, strict official actions and collective efforts against illegal trade which can hurt local economy a lot, means to ask technical and mechanical assistance for erection of huskburn power stations, quality inspection of food products and issuance of FDA certificates, and ongoing training programs. The chief minister promised serious attention to the needs and swiftest means to look into the them through involvement of ministries.
Supplementary guidance on food security
In his speech, the Senior General said that officials have already replied to discussions of businesspersons. Varieties of foodstuffs comprise illegally imported foodstuffs and domesically produced foodstuffs. All need to emphasize the food security. Hence, all foodstuff products must have to seek permissions of the FDA under the prescribed disciplines and these must be qualified meeting standards. Businesspersons need to accept necessary inspection over their foodstuff products not to cause danger to the consumers due to their lowquality foodstuffs. After that, they have to distribute foodstuffs to the market. These products must be expressed with manufacturing and expired dates systematically.
Encouraging domestic manufacturing industries based on domestic products
The Senior General said he came there to give necessary discussions for enhancement of MSME industries after meeting with those businessper-sons and fulfilling their needs. In the terms of previous govern-ments which faced foreign trade deficits verified at present, it can be seen that they did not encourage domestic products but emphasize imported goods. They sought foreign loans continuously. So, there remains to pay back foreign loans. The current government is paying back loans in its term as much as possible.
The Senior General stressed the need to manufacture domestic products to earn foreign exchange. Underground and aboveground natural resources and agricultural and livestock products are abundant for manufacturing products. As aboveground natural resources as forest were not regrown after extracting, deforestation happens. The government allows production of finished goods with the use of underground natural resources but raw materials. Agriculture and livestock farms are being encouraged rather than extraction of underground and aboveground natural resources. Some 70 percent of the total population of the nation resides in rural areas and they are mainly engaged in agriculture and livestock farms. Hence, manufacturing industries based on agriculture and livestock products are encouraged. The manufacturing based on agriculture and livestock farms is a firm and assured business. The industries using raw materials from agriculture and livestock farms will benefit the relevant regions.
The manufacturing industries using raw materials and foreign made raw materials will face some limits and difficulties in production. So, it is necessary to operate the industries based on raw materials produced in their regions.
Livestock breeding Myanmar imports milk and dairy products yearly, and if dairy cow farming tasks is successfully operated at home, import volume of dairy products and foreign exchange can be reduced. Shan State possesses sound foundations for operating cow, pig and chicken breeding. If Shan State successfully operates dairy cow farming tasks, it will be a state which will produce the largest volume of dairy products and it will contribute much to the country.
With regard to poultry farms, rising of a lot of layers is seen with success. The Senior General expressed thanks for Ayethaya industrial zone of Shan State (South) which distributed eggs to the whole country so as to contribute to food supply of the people at a time the country faced difficulties of food supply because of outbreak of COVID-19 in 2021-2022 fiscal year. Not only Myanmar but global countries face meat requirement. If efforts can be made for development of domestic meat produc-tion using domestic feeds, it will affect sufficiency of domestic consumption and export surplus. Meat production will affect manufacturing of industrial products. Systematic livestock breeding tasks can much benefit the region.
Likewise, the Senior General stressed the need to systematic carry out pit farming tasks and increase meat production. Heho Airport is being expanded for distributing fruits and meats from Shan State (South) to the market on a wider scale. Succe-ssful undertaking of manufacturing based on agriculture
and livestock will much benefit the region. As the government in its tenure encourages domestic manufacturing, the country can reduce a certain amount of trade deficit. So, efforts must be made for earning foreign exchange from the manufacturing industries.
Agriculture
The Senior General underscored that it is necessary to meet the target of paddy cultivation. Shan State needs to strive for boosting peracre yield of crops so as to enhance the economic status. Agricultural farms should use biofertilizers which come out from the local livestock farms to benefit the region on one hand. Hence, systematic breeding buffalo and cow will contribute to meat production and agricultural sector. The agricultural tasks need to have quality strain, fertile soil, water supply and techniques. Successful undertaking of agriculture and livestock farms will much benefit the industries.
Production activities can be carried out based on local agriculture and livestock breeding and local natural resources. Tea and coffee from Shan State are internationally marketable. So, extended cultivation and production will facilitate exports, thereby contributing much to the region as well as the country. For rice cultivation, quality paddy strains need to be grown. Production of quality foodstuffs from the region will be able to seek market. Again, sufficient manufacturing of quality foodstuffs and consumer goods will reduce foreign exchange spending. This is why MSMEs are being encouraged.
Efforts to meet electricity demand by a certain means
Husk produced from rice milling in Shan State can be used as a fuel. Likewise, solar energy can be used for power generation. Efforts to generate electricity in the region will contribute to productivity in a way.
The encouragement of MSMEs aims to promote national economy, substitute imports and export local products. Agriculture, livestock breeding and manufacturing require inputs. So, efforts must be made to acquire inputs.
Cooperative system
Cooperative system should be adopted for production sector. The country exercised a coope-rative system in the past, which is still being used in some developed countries. The adoption of cooperative system will facilitate businesses, so it should be exercised. For capital and investment, the State is providing required loans. There are developing and commercial loans. There will be different interest rates in different kinds of loans. The State economy development fund is disbursing loans. Loans need to be sought as necessary and in accord with the rules and disciplines.
Encourage education for human resources
Human resources are needed for national economic progress and productivity. Education is being encouraged for ensuing rich human resources. Education will facilitate life quality. The country’s education system is still low. In Shan State also, the education sector is weak, so allround encouragement is necessary. It is the duty of the government to attend to the needs for the development of a region while the socioeconomic progress of individuals depends on themselves. Therefore, education should be encouraged. Only then, there will be human resources in the region and the State. Thus, individuals need to focus on education. With educational skills, right persons needed to be used for right jobs. Efforts need to be made for human resource development in Shan State. In the private education sector, systematic measures must be taken to avoid any losses. Some private schools are reportedly collecting huge fees. So, there should be correct ways in that sector also.
Tourism development
Shan State has already possessed good resources for tourism and services. Taunggyi holds a famous hotair balloon festival yearly that attracts both local and foreign visitors. Inlay region also attracts them. Measures should be taken to better improve local food and beautify the environment. Regarding healthcare sector, an aim has been set for designation of Kalaw Aungban region as a healthcare region. Healthcare services can be provided for Shan State (South), and the State will provide necessary assistance. Better local products with better packaging system will attract more customers. It is advisable that in ensuring quality, there should be attraction, good smell and good packaging. Only then, can more and more products be sold.
Then, the Senior General cor-dially greeted the MSME entrepreneurs.
Later, the Senior General interestingly viewed the local products, foods, consumer goods, industrial products, handmade products and clothing on display. He then asked about market availability and respective entrepreneurs replied to the question.