In its drive for development of market economy, the government has been encouraging farmers to grow whatever profitable to them at a time when restrictions are relaxed. Growing value-added crops, rural regions have witnessed betterment in socio-economic life. I went to ChaungU of Monywa District in Sagaing Region for third time as I have heard that its GDP is increasing.

I went to the office of ChaungU Agriculture Department and met township manager U Saw Linn who took me to the township General Administration Department to introduce me to township administrator U Phyo Min Htaik. He explained me eight-point rural development and poverty alleviation scheme of the township. He said that successful cultivation of value-added crops, the main contributor to agricultural development has brought about improvement in socioeconomic of farmers, facilitating the GDP growth of the township. He added that those value-added crops were once on the lists of vegetables and now farmers had been permitted to grow economically viable crops for their benefits.

I then proceeded to crop plantations in company with township manager U Saw Linn, plantation in-charges, and senior clerk U Tin Thaung from the township GAD.

The plain around Minte and Min Khaung villages of Magyikwa Village-tract was like an ocean of muskmelon which stretches to the horizon. Muskmelon plantations were bustling with those spraying pesticides, broadcasting fertilizer, weeding, plucking, packaging, and loading into trucks amidst the music from FM radios.

Amazed by such a huge number of human bees, I asked village administrator U Than Win standing by me about those people and he said there were over 4000 workers from 80 villages in the township apart from the locals. I was overjoyed to see business opportunities there not only for locals but also for other villagers.

According to township manager U Saw Linn, 8000 muskmelon plants are grown on an acre of land and the net profit is K 2,217,150 for an acre. It is learnt that a farmer from Magyikwa Village-tract run at least five up 20, 30 acres .

In addition, it is learnt that the net profit of one acre of melon is 282,000 kyats and that of tomato is 1,392,150 kyats. In ChaungU Township, 2190 acres of land were put under musk melon plantation in 10 village tracts in 2011-2012 fiscal year, earning K 485,558,500. 137 acres of melon could be grown in five village-tracts, generating K 39,182,000 in profit. The 19 village-tracts could grow 469 acres of tomato, earning K 652,918,350. As ChaungU Township has gained a total profit of K 1,177,658,850, it has seen a significant rise in GDP with socio-economic development of farmers.

Village administrator U Than Win told me that some farmers even go to China to sell their products and the profits are usually more. Agriculture Department is also systematically enforcing farmers in using chemical pesticides to make sure it does not pose threat to ecological balance. As ChaungU has achieved GDP growth through cultivation of value-added crops, I hope other regions with favourable climate and soil will take its example to grow value-added crops, thereby contributing to self-, regional to national interests.