SAC Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing meets micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSME) businesspersons from Dawei and Myeik District in Taninthayi Region at the respective halls of Dawei and Myeik townships on 4 and 5 November.
Chairman of Dawei District Rubber Growers and Producers Association, Aungzabu cocoa saplings and cocoa value-added product industry owner, proprietor of Awzar Min natural fertilizer plant, marine product entrepreneur of Dawei District, value-added rubber product industry owner, Chair of Myanmar Hotelier Association (Taninthayi Zone), Rubber entrepreneur of Myeik District, fishery and prawn breeding entrepreneur of Myeik District, foodstuff industry entrepreneur of Myeik District, Chairman of Rice Merchants Association U Htwe Wai of Myeik District and other attendees presented the reports as follows –
- Cultivation and production of rubber in Dawei District and progress of exportation.
- Efforts for increasing rubber production, needs of loans with soft interest to manufacture value-added products, cultivation of industrial crops and manufacturing.
- Production of marine products, needs to ease restrictions for in-shore trawlers.
- Establishment of an industrial zone in Dawei region for MSME industries, manufacturing value-added rubber products.
- Needs of easing restrictions for tourism development, and other requirements for improvement of local businesses.
- Progress of fish and prawn farms in the district and required assistance for extension of modern sea prawn farming.
- Required assistance for setting up a factory to manufacture finished oyster shell products locally for export due to availability of raw oyster shells, the main byproduct of local pearl industry, and other requirements.
In response to individual reports of businesspersons, Union ministers discussed on the implementation of projects by respective ministries and the Chief Minister also discussed the plans to fulfill the needs of MSMEs in the region.
Regarding the individual reports, the SAC Chairman Senior General stressed the following points –
- Our country is striving for economic development in the same way as every country in the world.
- To remedy the impacts of COVID-19 and to enhance the economy of the county, MSMEs, which are compatible with the country, are being encouraged.
- I have been holding meetings and discussions with entrepreneurs in respective states and regions like this to fulfill their needs as much as possible for the development and success of MSMEs.
- The previous governments received foreign loans and cash assistance. But there has been nothing since we took office.
- In the two terms of previous democratic governments, there was no encouragement to the domestic commodity production sector. Foreign exchange from overseas aid funds, foreign loans and nontrade businesses were mainly fulfilled and spent for the sector.
- We are endeavoring to recover the nation’s economy. To promote the nation’s economy, it is necessary to carry out commodity production enterprises and to be able to export the products.
- As our country managed to enhance the domestic economy by promoting the products based on agriculture and livestock businesses. Therefore, the national economy is found to be progressing to a certain extent.
- When we took office, we faced a lot of difficulties, but managed to overcome and promote domestic economy.
- For successful productivity, efforts must be made to ensure good quality products and modern packaging to attract consumers.
- Agriculture and livestock breeding is the most viable business in our country. The reason we are encouraging MSMEs is to promote national economy, substitute imports and export local products.
- If we could carry out the quality production of tyres motor cars and motorcycle and shoes from rubber products using the raw rubbers of Taninthayi region with the use of modern technology, it will further benefit the region.
- Likewise, use of raw materials from other regions to produce consumer goods will encourage domestic economy and reduce imports of foreign products.
- MSMEs will develop if they can manufacture consumer goods and finished goods including pulp from bamboo, wood and forest products for both domestic needs and exports.
- Lather products businesses can also be run by using leather from livestock breeding farms.
- We urge to operate manufacturing businesses till success is achieved by using regionally produced agricultural and livestock raw materials.
- Taninthayi Region needs to produce edible oil until regional demand is met by successfully growing oil palm.
- Efforts must be made to meet domestic demand rather than relying on imports and even produce surpluses for export purposes.
- Measures are being taken to resume the Dawei Special Economic Zone project that halted for various reasons.
- Value-added products could be manufactured through systematically establishing duck farming as the Myeik region is rich in sources of rivers and creeks.
- Despite granting permission to carry out projects to generate hydroelectric power, the projects have not been implemented yet due to the disturbance of armed groups.
- The need for electricity is important and solar power could be generated in the Myeik region. Therefore, it is necessary to make efforts to be able to generate solar power.
- Taninthayi Region has much forest cover and stands at the third in mangrove cover important for fish resources in the world. It is rich in marine resources too. Therefore, it is necessary to conserve mangrove forests in order that fish and prawn farming business will not affect the mangrove forests.
- Regarding the efforts of making tourism and trade activities easy, fast and smooth, it was found that foreign tourists are entering the Dawei area through the border and therefore, the local administrative organizations and locals acted responsibly and aggressively.
- In order to make tourism and trade activities easy, fast and smooth, preparations are being made in advance for the construction of a railway to the Dawei area.
- If good basics which have already existed in the region are applied beneficially for regional development, I believe the region will achieve development in a few years to come.
- Therefore, all are urged to work together on only for the development of your region but for the economic development of the nation.
The SAC chairman Prime Minister and party studied with interest in the displays of products such as food, consumer goods, industrial products, traditional craft products, clothes, and traditional medicines, and inquired about the market conditions. After that, it was reported that the Senior General and members toured along Strand Road in Dawei in vehicles.
Also present at the meetings were Council Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo, Council member Jeng Phang Naw Taung, Union Ministers, Taninthayi Region Chief Minister U Myat Ko, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the commander of Coastal Region Command and officials, members of the region government and MSME businesspersons.
Source: Myawady Daily Newspaper (6-11-2022)
- To remedy the impacts of COVID-19 and to enhance the economy of the county, MSMEs, which are compatible with the country, are being encouraged.
- As our country managed to enhance the domestic economy by promoting the products based on agriculture and livestock businesses. Therefore, the national economy is found to be progressing to a certain extent.
- Agriculture and livestock breeding is the most viable business in our country.
- Use of raw materials from other regions to produce consumer goods will encourage domestic economy and reduce imports of foreign products.
- Measures are being taken to resume the Dawei Special Economic Zone project that halted for various reasons.
- Despite granting permission to carry out projects to generate hydroelectric power, the projects have not been implemented yet due to the disturbance of armed groups.
- Taninthayi Region has much forest cover and stands at the third in mangrove cover important for fish resources in the world and therefore, it is necessary to conserve mangrove forests in order that fish and prawn farming business will not affect the mangrove forests.
- In order to make tourism and trade activities easy, fast and smooth, preparations are being made in advance for the construction of a railway to the Dawei area.