We all are aware that agriculture sector plays an important role in our national economy. Therefore, our government is striving great effort in agriculture development. We know that, rice is very important crop in Myanmar. And the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation is making concerted effort to produce high quality rice.

So could you explain about the important of agriculture in Myanmar?
Yes, as we, all are aware that agriculture sector is very important in our country. The sector plays very important role in our national economy. It contributes 34 percent of GDP, 23 percent of total export and it also employ about 63 percent of the total employment is engaged in agriculture sector. That’s why, our government is giving the great priority on the development of the agriculture sector.

We have now laid down the three objectives for the agriculture development. One is to achieve surplus in paddy production. Second is to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oil. Third is to step up the cultivation and export of pulses and industrial crops.

So, according to this objectives, now our Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation is making the great effort for the development of agriculture sector. We also laid down the five strategic measures for the agriculture development.

One is the development of new agricultural land. We need to increase the agriculture area to improve the crop production. The second is the provision and adequate of irrigation water. We are now building and constructing many dams and reservoirs in the whole country. With that irrigation water, we will be able to increase our crop production. The third is the provision and support for increasing agricultural mechanization. The fourth is the adoption of improved Agro-techniques. Now, our Ministry is giving the advance technology to the farmers and the last is the development and utilization of improved varieties.

As you know, for the crop production increase, the improve high yielding varieties are quite important. With that five strategic measure, we are now trying to develop in the agriculture sector.

Could you tell us about the rice production in Myanmar?
Yes, rice is our major crop; it is also our staple food. Almost 50% of the total crop sown area is covered by rice so, rice is very important for our country. Our present cultivation area of rice is 5.3 million hectares in monsoon and 1.2 million hectares in summer, so total we have about 6.5 million hectares of rice under cultivation in Myanmar. Now, we are trying to make a great effort to increase the cultivation area until the reach about 7.5 million hectares under cultivation to meet the requirement for the increase population as well as for the export.

How many high quality rice varieties in Myanmar?
When we have quite a number of high quality rice varieties. Pawson Hmwe is our popular high quality rice. It is mainly cultivated in the Ayeyawaddy Deltal area. It is short grain but when you cook it elongate almost three times. It has the best cooking quality. The taste is good, the flavors is excellent. We get high premium price in the world market.

And we also have many other high quality rice varieties like Nanthar-Hmwe which is mainly grow in Mandalay and Shan State because these varieties need some cold weather. And we also have Hmawbi-2 varieties Lonethwe-Hmwe, Innmayebaw and Sin Akari varieties. Those are the high quality rice varieties presently grow in our country. These are quite high quality so that we are getting high premium prices in the world market.

Right now, our Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation has the contract agreement with the Malaysia “Bennar” company. We are now trying to export at least 1,000 tons of Pawsan-Hmwe and Lonethwe-Hmwe, high quality rice varieties to the Malaysia. So we are now trying to increase the area of high quality rice in our rice production.

In the future, How are you going to implement for the high quality rice production?
Yes, our Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation is making contract with the contact farmers. We are going to provide the seeds of our high quality rice varieties to them and also our advance technology to produce the rice production. So, they are going to produce the high quality rice and after that we will be able to export to the other countries. According to this contract program, we are now trying to increase the high quality rice varieties as well as rice production of high quality rice in our country.

To produce more quality rice seeds, the State is endeavoring to reproduce the seeds, to disseminate the techniques among the farmers and to distribute quality seeds. As a result, Myanmar rice market is developing.