Myanmar to Promote Issue of Export,

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Myanmar to Promote Issue of Export, Import Licenses<BR><BR></H1>

	 YANGON (Oct. 10) XINHUA - The Myanmar Ministry of Commerce will
issue export and import licenses within 48 hours to exporters and
importers in the country to facilitate their trade activities.
	 It used to take about one week in the past. A recent issue of the local
"Myanmar Business News" published by the Chamber of Commerce and
Industry quoted the ministry as saying that such licenses will be
issued without delay if applications are submitted in accordance with
the prescribed rules.
	 The move was made partly due to that the government wants to cut down
the state expenditure and promote private trading and economic
development, it added.
	 In April, the ministry drew up a new list of items of goods designated
for export and import as part of its policy.
	 Of the goods items approved for import, 14 are the first priorities,
while 8 others are the second priorities.
	 The first priorities goods items include machinery and spare parts,
industrial raw materials, agricultural tools, wheat, construction
materials, aquatic tools, transport vehicles, medicine and equipment
used in livestock breeding, electric power materials, paper and some
oil products.
	 The second priorities cover some consumers goods, household appliances,
textile, electrical and electronic goods.
	 For export through seaborne trade, four categories of goods banned for
private exporters and cooperatives are agricultural produces, mineral
and chemical products, animal products and general commodities. For
export through border trade, teak is added to the restriction.
	 There were 9,250 exporters and importers in Myanmar by the end of June
this year.
	 According to the ministry, private sector's export and import have been
considerably boosted with its share of exports jumping from 46.3
percent in the fiscal 1988-89 to 67.8 percent in the fiscal 1997-98
which ended in March. Meanwhile, its share of imports rose from 40.7
percent to 71.9 percent.
	 According to the latest official Economic Indicators, Myanmar's foreign
trade, including the border trade, in the first six months of  this
year sharply increased over the same period of last year, reaching
1.898 billion U.S. dollars, 424 million dollars or 28.8 percent more
than that of last year which was 1.474 billion dollars.