March 31
THE workshop on the completion of the Vegetable Germplasm Collection and Seed Projection Project and Packaging of Fruits and Vegetables to Maintain the Quality and extend the Shelf Life Project was held in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.
The event was attended by the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Kyaw Min Oo, Director-General of Agriculture Department Dr Ye Tint Tun, Vice-Chair of Mekong-Lancang Cooperation National Coordination Unit (Myanmar) U Win Zeyar Tun, agriculturalists, officials of Mekong-Lancang Projects, farmers and invitees.
The Agriculture Department implemented 19 projects under Mekong-Lancang Special Fund. The two newly completed projects were launched between October 2021 and March 2023 as the third batch of Mekong-Lancang Projects. The first project was conducted at VFRDC in Hlegu Township of Yangon Region, VFDC in Htonbo of Mandalay Region, PyinOoLwin and Heho of Shan State. The project included taking records of five vegetables at VFRDC, seed production and code registration, comparison of collected Germplasm, seed selection, training for vegetable production and establishment of cold storage at VFRDC.
The second project included lecture to maintain the quality and extend the self life of fruits and vegetables, talks and workshops, packaging training to maintain the quality of mango and watermelon in Mekong-Lancang regions, monthly inspection on proper packaging, sharing the findings, educating programmes at the fields of farmers and market.
The rural people of Myanmar prioritize fruits and vegetable cultivation as a second crop and so the projects benefit the production rate per acre, easy use of quality seedlings within the relevant seasons to promote quality, and food safety and the application of post-harvest technology to reduce wastage. — MNA/KTZH
