State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing examines the performance of the port sector and trade activities

March 15

This morning, Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing together with SAC Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, SAC members, the Yangon Region chief minister, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the Yangon Command commander and officials, went on an inspection tour of Asia World Port Terminal- AWPT in Ahlon Township, Yangon Region, where he checked the extent of its operation and trade activities.

The hall of a three-storey building of Asia World Port Terminal-AWPT is where the Senior General and his party were welcomed by officials.

Union Minister for Transport and Communications General Mya Tun Oo reviewed the report on the performance of port activities such as brief history of the port functions brief account of the policies, Myanmar ports, year-wise progress of jetties, jetties of Yangon Port and Thilawa Port areas, port activities and progress, promotion of maritime agricultural exports, import/export activities through Yangon-Kawthoung-Ranong trip, promotion of trade through transshipment, financial earnings and expenditure and work review, Union Minister for Commerce U Tun Ohn explained about the conduct of trade in accord with the five-point roadmap and three economic objectives of SAC, progress on implementing the directives of Senior General in connection with export promotion, trade activities during the period from financial year 2011-2012 to March FY 2024-2025, month-wise trade activities in FY 2024-2025, the volume of item-wise exports in the period from FY 2011-2012 to 12 March FY 2024-2025, item-wise export comparison between the period up to 12 March FY 2024-2025 and previous year, largest exported items and largest importer countries, rice, broken rice, beans and pulses, corn, sesame and cotton exports, item-wise imports up to 12 March FY 2024-2025 and FY-wise largest imported items.

In terms of the reports, he pointed out that once Myanmar was the main port of all Southeast Asia.

That said, there are several reasons exports are waning in the current moment.

The country needs tools for ways to promote exports, they need to break through hardships and restrictions.

Myanma Port Authority should not abuse its power in granting permission and should provide mooring permissions based on the type and size of vessels.

Such prom Iise so calculate the degree of restrictions that can appear after the completion of the Myanmar-Korea friendship bridge (Dala) and to be ready to overessaa.

There is also increased need of improving domestic production and bolstering the export sector because of the economic sanctions imposed on the country, thereports said. Existing market goods, especially agricultural products, also need to be expanded in production and with its international markets.

Besides agricultural goods, it can export food products and industrial agriculture.

And the whiff of higher consumption, which means we need to produce even more than we do currently. Moreover, on sale, it is important the production and export of such high-value, high-quality products as rubber and coffee, able to contribute to profit.

And cultivated acreage must be enlarged to increase production.

Achieving the target output of agricultural activities is essential for increasing exports.

Export growth will only be possible if production targets are met, and quality remains high.

Doubling the output of oilseeds will lessen the country’s dependence on imported edible oil.

We need to slowly reform corn production so that we can produce high value complex products from corn instead of shipping corn as raw material.

This transformative will enable businesses to flourish!

Entrepreneurs need to start corn processing factories, gradually transition from raw corn production to corn products production.

Specifically for rice, it is necessary to implement high-quality rice planting contracts, or pay special attention to rice seed planting, and produce high-quality rice, and expand exports of high-price rice to the world market.

This significantly raises agricultural output, as 2 levels of sequential cropping double agricultural output, from its previous finished state. As there are no barriers to the export of agricultural and livestock products produced in the country, which officials at various levels should take rapid measures to ensure that these products are exported swiftly and on time.

It is also important to organize transportation routes so that passengers can leave the port on time with appropriate arrangements to avoid traffic jams.

Ports must be managed fairly, and plans to that end must be in place.

He maintained that big entrepreneurs and business owners with adequate financial capability should focus on investing in agriculture, farming and agro-based industries, directly aiding to the development and socio-economic growth of the country and the people.

At the invitation of the Union Minister for Transport and Communications, the Senior General received a commemorative gift.

Then, Senior General and party arrived at Asia World Port Terminal (AWPT) and viewed port operations and gave necessary instructions based on the presentations of officials.