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Economics

Growing together: Reducing rural poverty in Myanmar

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The changes underway in Myanmar can be felt almost everywhere: in Nay Pyi Taw, portraits of Bogyoke Aung San grace the walls of parliament; in Yangon, traffic is choking roads while construction cranes dominate the skyline; and across the country, ports, airports and border crossings are booming with trade.  Felt almost everywhere that is, except in rural areas, where the impacts of change have been less visible. 
 
And yet, rural communities are home to the majority of Myanmar’s population, the majority of its many ethnic groups, and 70% of its poor. Recognizing this disparity, policy makers in Myanmar have stressed rural poverty reduction to be a key priority for the coming years. This is a task as ambitious as it is critical – enabling rural communities to participate in expanding economic opportunities will be central to inclusive growth in Myanmar and to the growth of a strong, diverse and united nation.
 
What then will it take to reduce rural poverty in Myanmar?First and foremost, it will take an increase in agricultural productivity to make farmers richer. Second, improved access to essential services to create opportunities in rural communities will be critical. Third, more focused and efficient public spending is important, so resources flow to people who need them and to programs that work. A mix of policies and investments, informed by listening to both people and evidence, can help achieve all three.
 
Increasing agricultural productivity. Farmer U Phyo from Zeegon Town owns nine acres of land where he grows rice, but can barely make ends meet with his income. “All farmers are struggling with the same challenges. We are faced with very low prices after harvesting, the rising cost of rice production, and hardly any access to bank loans that are suitable for farmers like us,” said U Phyo.
 
More than half of Myanmar’s labor force works in agriculture, but the average yield of the dominant crop, paddy rice, is amongst the lowest in Asia. Add in post-harvest losses and high transport cost, and profits from farming fall even further.Indeed, one hectare of monsoon season rice from the Delta region in Myanmar – the country’s rice bowl and one of the most fertile growing regions in the world – on average generates just $140 in profits, compared to $340 in Cambodia and $430 in Vietnam.
 
Boosting productivity – and thus profitability – will require reforms to increase the availability and adoption of modern farm technologies, as well as investments in seeds and extension services.For example, in 2013-2014, total spending by the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation on seed and extension programs was only 0.22% of agricultural GDP (or 0.07% of total GDP), well below the globally recommended benchmark of 1% of agricultural GDP. Only one percent of the demand for paddy seed is estimated to be met by supply in Myanmar, compared to nearly 100% in Thailand and Vietnam.Private investment can play a critical role in addressing these constraints, private investment which regulatory reforms can help unleash.Similarly, reforms in the land…

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Economics

National News Bureau Of Thailand

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BANGKOK (NNT) – The Commerce Ministry has launched measures to increase rice exports to 6 million tons this year, valued at around 150 billion baht, with Indonesia, China, Bangladesh and Iraq set to be the main markets under government-to-government (G2G) deals.

Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said G2G deals and a campaign to make Thai rice more recognizable around the world will spearhead efforts to increase the export volume from last year’s 5.7 million tons.

He said the ministry is working with the Thai Rice Exporters Association to promote Thai rice under the “Think Rice, Think Thailand” campaign, adding that Thailand successfully made Thai rice become better known in Canada, increasing its exports to the country by 21% to 120,000 tons last year.

Mr Jurin said one of the distinctive characteristics of Thai rice is its very low sugar content. This would make it the preferred choice among Canadians as 28% of the Canadian population has high blood sugar levels.

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Economics

Bangkok Metropolitan Energy Authority (MEA) partners with Chineses owned Newsky Energy (Thailand) Company

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BANGKOK (NNT) – The Metropolitan Energy Authority (MEA) is looking into co-investment opportunities with private firm Newsky Energy Thailand for the construction of two new waste-to-energy power plants in Bangkok, promoting the expansion of alternative energy in the metropolitan area along with environmental protection.

The MEA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with private firm Newsky Energy Thailand on co-investment arrangements for waste-to-energy power plants in the Nong Khaem and On Nut districts of Bangkok, a project costing about 10 billion baht.

MEA Governor Kirapat Jiamset, said today that each of the waste-to-energy plants will have a generating capacity of 35 megawatts of electricity using 1,000 tons of waste as fuel each day.

Mr Kirapat said the two power plants will be introduced along with the smart grid system, which allows communities in service areas to receive power entirely from these plants, independent of the main power lines.

New Sky Energy Thailand CEO He Ning said the company has been working with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to operate a waste-to-energy incinerator at Nong Khaem dump, which converts 500 tons of garbage into electricity each day.

Operating since 2016, Mr Ning said the incinerator has been continuously feeding electricity to the MEA, with systems in place to take care of the environment and nearby communities.

The proposed new waste-to-energy plants are currently in the public consultation process. The construction of these projects is expected to commence later this year, and come online in the electricity grid in 2024.

According to the Department of Business Development, Newsky Energy (Thailand) Company Limited is currently registered as an electric power generation and transmission company in Thailand. The company is 100% owned by Chinese investors and reported a -7.25% net profit in the fiscal year 2019.

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Economics

Thailand sets export growth target at 4% for 2021

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BANGKOK (NNT) – Thailand has seen export growth of 0.35 per cent in the first month of the year. The Commerce Minister has ordered the Department of International Trade Promotion to advance an action plan to accelerate growth, which is set at 4 per cent this year.

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