September 14, 2022

 

As an agri-based country, the people of Myanmar are engaging in livestock farms in addition to agricultural farms in order to produce agricultural products and livestock products for local consumption as well as export surplus products. Moreover, those producers are striving for manufacturing value-added products made of agricultural produce and livestock products for earning income.


Export of agricultural produce and livestock products earn incomes, contributing much to the economy of the people and the State. As some 70 per cent of the people are residing in rural areas, priority is being given to booming businesses based on agriculture and livestock farms as their livelihoods.
However, Myanmar needs to promote the production of the agricultural sector to be exported to foreign markets in keeping abreast of other countries. Among agricultural produce, the export of pulses and beans is the largest volume. In fact, as doing business, the per-acre yield of pulses and beans is still lesser as well as paddy in comparison with that of other countries.


The UN Food and Agriculture Organization-FAO’s report stated that a total of 6.65 hectares of farmlands are placed under paddy in Myanmar which set targets to yield 100 baskets of summer paddy and 80 baskets of monsoon paddy. The increased per-acre yield of paddy will benefit the farmers and earn incomes for the State.


As a nature of geographical conditions, Myanmar is teeming with plentiful freshwater rivers and creeks, which supply fresh water for agricultural tasks. Some 33 million acres of cultivable lands are put under paddy, pulses and beans, maize, sesame, cotton and other crops in addition to rubber, oil palm and coconut plants.


Meanwhile, livestock farms for cattle, goats, pigs, sheep and poultry farms are taking place near the cultivation areas to be easily managed by farmers. Waste from cattle is useful as natural fertilizers for agricultural lands. Reciprocally, feed farms such as grass and maize can be nurtured near the livestock farms.


Actually, agriculture is an important livelihood for the State whereas livestock is also playing a key role to earn income not only for the farmers but for the State. Only when efforts should be made for increasing the products made from agriculture and livestock will it be a drive for the socioeconomic development of the people and be beneficial for the nation.

That is why the government is providing necessary assistance for ensuring local food sufficiency and exporting surplus products to foreign markets. On the other hand, agricultural and livestock farmers need to make all-out efforts to improve their production sector with greater success as they inspire.