Production processes and supply chains will create job opportunities and productivity, stresses SG

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing highlighted that from the cultivation of crops to manufacturing finished products and supply chains, production processes will create job opportunities and productivity.
Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing discussed coordination on developing the cotton, oil crops, coffee, meat, and dairy products sectors at the SAC Chairman Office in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning.
Speaking at the meeting, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing spotlighted that although Myanmar is endowed with agricultural lands for growing oil crops, water, and human resources, the nation’s inefficient cooking oil production is inappropriate.
He continued that as oil crops can be cultivated and produced within four months, farmers can grow them twice a year. So, seeking the best way to cultivate crops successfully is necessary.
In the agriculture sector, the Senior General instructed that an emphasis is being placed on increasing the per-acre yield of crops. As the lands where paddy can be successfully grown due to favourable weather and fertile soil, suitable crops should be cultivated to increase the per-acre yield of crops, he added.
He calculated that relevant ministries need to emphasize that if the country grows 500,000 acres of cotton to meet the target production, it will help ensure the sufficiency of cotton at home and earn incomes of foreign currency in export.
The Senior General noted that as locally-made threads can be used in garment industries as well as CMP and MSME industries, the Ministry of Industry and Tatmadaw will be assigned to produce value-added threads.
In sugarcane cultivation, he stressed that it yields 26 tonnes per acre. In the 2023-24 financial year, sugarcane sufficiency scored 112 per cent in the country. It is necessary to raise the per-acre yield of sugarcane production without expansion of sown acreage. If sugarcane production increases, it will help sugar sufficiency and increase export volume.
He underscored that if Myanmar initiates the implementation of coffee cultivation projects, it will become a top country for coffee exporters across the world in the future. Hence, an emphasis must be placed on coffee cultivation and production.
He highlighted that the country could reduce spending on foreign currencies only when efforts are made to successfully operate cow and buffalo breeding and construct a dairy product factory to produce sufficient dairy products at home.
Union ministers discussed extended cultivation of oil crops for local oil sufficiency, plans to build oil mills, production of feedstuffs from cotton seeds, expansion of quality strains of cotton, cultivation of coffee, sugarcane and wheat, breeding of dairy cows and dairy product production, needs of inputs for agriculture and livestock breeding sectors, formation of cooperative societies, production of cotton textile, export of oil crops, coffee, sugarcane, rubber and agricultural produce and import of fuel, personal goods, agricultural inputs and machinery, and plans of farming tasks, production of quality sunflower oil. SAC member Chairman of Myanmar Economic Corporation Lt-Gen Nyo Saw and Chairman of Union of Myanmar Economic Holding Public Co Ltd Lt-Gen Hsan Oo discussed the cultivation of sugarcane in regions and states, production of dairy products, meat and fish, cultivation of sugarcane and production of sugar, and breeding of cows.
In his response, the Senior General stressed the need to increase cotton cultivation and production with the construction of textile factories. If MSME businesses can operate cotton ginning and thread production, people will have job opportunities. Milk collection centres must be designated to purchase milk from local farmers within 24 hours. Dairy products must be produced to be advanced products, he noted.
In concluding remarks, the Senior General said that cotton and oil crop cultivation must be done as a national duty. Human resources must be turned out for operating agriculture and livestock farms. He added that it is necessary to extend the opening of essential human resources for agricultural businesses with the turning out of graduates and diploma holders in the agricultural sector.
The Senior General observed video files on the cultivation of animal feed plants, breeding dairy cows, paddy cultivation, harvesting sunflower and oil production, and using modern machinery to breed cows and feed animals.
Also present at the meeting were Union Minister at the SAC Chairman Office Ministry 2 U Aung Naing Oo, Union Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Min Naung, Union Minister for Cooperatives and Rural Development U Hla Moe, Union Minister for Industry Dr Charlie Than, Union Minister for Commerce U Tun Ohn and officials. — MNA/TTA