The coordination meeting on the development of cotton cultivation and thread and textile production was held at the meeting hall of the State Administration Council Chairman’s Office in Nay Pyi Taw on 7 March. The Chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC) Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attended the meeting and discussed as follows:
- Myanmar is not capable of systematically producing cotton wool despite the cultivation of cotton plants in the country. If an acre yielded some 700 visses of cotton, 500,000 acres of cotton plantations across the nation would be able to produce some 30 yards of textiles for each citizen of the nation.
- If the country can produce threads from raw cotton, the import volume of textiles can be reduced.
- Cotton wool, cotton linter (short thread) and cotton seeds can be produced by ginning cotton. As textile products can be manufactured from cotton, cotton ginning machines will be in operation and cloth can be used in the garment industry, further job opportunities can be created. There are many other benefits for the country because textile imports can be reduced.
- Oil mill businesses will be in operation by processing cottonseed oil, and job opportunities can be created. Furthermore, animal feed can be produced from cotton seed pulp.
- It is necessary to contribute to the economy of the country through the cotton cultivation and to manage agricultural techniques, inputs, and water supplies to boost the per-acre yield of cotton under the long-term plan.
- As sufficient cloth cannot be produced in the country, it has to import clothes and textiles annually. The production of quality textiles at home will help develop garment industries and produce necessary clothes for the nation.
- Therefore, participants are urged to discuss requirements for boosting cotton yields and manufacturing high quality textiles from cotton raw materials.
Afterwards, the SAC Member Lt-Gen Nyo Saw, Union Ministers and attendees made sector-wise discussions on cotton cultivation. After hearing the reports, the SAC Chairman Prime Minister made supplementary discussions as follows:
- It is necessary to manufacture required cotton ginning machines domestically and measures must be taken to distribute cotton wool in the domestic market and to manufacture high quality textiles in the country.
- A-grade cotton strains should be cultivated at first for the development of cotton production and thread and garment industries.
- The country needs machines and equipment to manufacture cloth and textiles from cotton raw materials produced in the country.
- Efforts must be made to achieve success phase-by-phase by adopting objectives to manufacture fine cloth.
- It is necessary to invite private entrepreneurs. Then, the Senior General sought required information and asked questions what he wanted to know, and then exchanged discussion on the development of cotton cultivation and production and textile industries.
Also present at the meeting were SAC Member Lt-Gen Nyo Saw, Union Minister for Cooperatives and Rural Development U Hla Moe, Union Minister for Industry Dr. Charlie Than, Union Minister for Commerce U Tun Ohn, deputy ministers and directors-general.
Source: MWD (8-3-2024)
- Myanmar is not capable of systematically producing cotton wool despite the cultivation of cotton plants in the country. If an acre yielded some 700 visses of cotton, 500,000 acres of cotton plantations across the nation would be able to produce some 30 yards of textiles for each citizen of the nation.
- Cotton wool, cotton linter (short thread) and cotton seeds can be produced by ginning cotton. As textile products can be manufactured from cotton, cotton ginning machines will be in operation and cloth can be used in the garment industry, further job opportunities can be created. There are many other benefits for the country because textile imports can be reduced.
- The production of quality textiles at home will help develop garment industries and produce necessary clothes for the nation.