Regional & Economic Development: PM meets MSME entrepreneurs in Shan State

Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met MSME entrepreneurs in Shan State at the Taunggyi City Hall on Tuesday afternoon and discussed regional development activities and economic development.

At the meeting, Shan State Chief Minister U Aung Zaw Aye reported on measures for progress of MSME enterprises in Shan State, arrangements for investments from local and abroad, production of fruits, implementations of the tasks by respective industrial zones, opening of product production trainings, manufacturing of value-added products, implementation for One village One product, holding product expos, disbursing loans for agriculture and livestock breeding and manufacturing and plans for MSMEs development.

Later, MSME entrepreneurs and attendees reported on manufacturing of local traditional food products as value-added one and the issues to be resolved in order to  improve more production and distribution to foreign markets, fruits and flowers produced from Shan State are exported to foreign countries, the needs for investment loans in order to expand agricultural tasks more than present, plan to provide G to G system by the state in order to export avocados to foreign countries, development of Rice Mill Industry in Shan State (South), the technologies and capital needs for the development of rice and paddy industries and among others.

The Union Ministers then reported in sector-wise implementations. In response to the reports, the Prime Minister discussed food security and encouraging to local product activities based on local products, agriculture and livestock breeding. The manufacturing industry based on agriculture and livestock breeding is a reliable industry.

If the industrial activities based on raw materials from the agricultural and livestock industries produced in the region are carried out, it will be more productive. The country has to import milk and dairy products from abroad every year and if dairy cow breeding can be carried out domestically, the imports from abroad will be greatly reduced and the spending of foreign currency will also be reduced.

If dairy cow breeding can be successfully carried out in Shan State, the State will be the one that can produce the most dairy products and will contribute a lot to the country. Regarding poultry farming, it was found that layer chickens are being bred and it has been achieved. During COVID-19 period in 2021-2022 when there were food difficulties due to the outbreak of the disease, the Aye Thaya Livestock Breeding Zone in Shan State (South) could distribute eggs to the whole country and it helped the food of the people on the other hand.

In order to get the manures needed for agricultural tasks, if the bio fertilizers produced by the local livestock industries are used effectively, it will contribute to the region. He also discussed measures for electricity demand, cooperative system, encouraging for human resource development and tourism industry development.

The Prime Minister and party then cordially greeted the MSME entrepreneurs and observed the display of local products, food stuffs, personal goods, industrial products, traditional handicrafts and clothes. He also asked about market condition and the MSME entrepreneurs conducted him around there.