Chairman of the State Adminis­tration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing delivered a speech emphasizing the development of cotton cultivation and thread and textile production at its coordination meeting at the SAC Chairman Office in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday afternoon.

Speaking at the meeting, the Senior General admitted that Myanmar is not capable of systematically producing cot­ton wool despite the cultivation of cotton plants. He estimated that if an acre yield­ed some 700 visses of cotton, 500,000 acres of cotton plantations across the nation would be able to produce some 30 yards of textiles for each citizen of the nation.

He highlighted that if the country can produce threads from raw cotton, the import volume of textiles can be reduced.

Then, he continued that it is neces­sary to invite private businesspersons to production chain as machines are re­quired to produce threads with the use of raw cotton.

The Senior General stressed that My­anmar needs to operate cotton threads with the use of machines, creating jobs for people and oil mills that can manu­facture cotton seed oil and feedstuffs.

He instructed all of them to produce cotton ginning machines at home, sell cotton wool at the domestic market, and arrange the production of textiles and advanced textile products.

Moreover, he noted that cotton can be used in the production of textile prod­ucts, helping looms and garment facto­ries manufacture products.

He stressed the need to manage ag­ricultural techniques, inputs, and water supplies to boost the per-acre yield of cotton under the long-term plan, using A-grade cotton strains in cultivation at first for the development of cotton pro­duction and thread and garment indus­tries.

The Senior General instructed those present to invite investments for the production of threads and textiles from cotton, adding the production of quality textiles at home, which will help develop garment industries and produce neces­sary clothes for the nation.

SAC member Lt-Gen Nyo Saw and Union ministers discussed the creation of employment opportunities based on the production of raw cotton at home, the ginning of cotton at State-owned and private factories, the ginning process of these factories used in foreign countries, the thread production process, import of raw materials abroad for production of threads, export of cotton, production of textiles by textile factories.

Also present at the meeting were 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