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MYANMAR SAYS MORE ELEPHANTS TO BE



Myanmar says more elephants to be used to revive the economy 


AFP Bangkok, 24 October 1999.   Myanmar said Sunday it was encouraging
greater use of animals such as elephants, horses and cattle to help boost
the country's economy. 

"Reliance is to be put on elephants, horses and cattle in agricultural
undertakings, timber extraction and
transport services in rural areas of Myanmar," said a junta statement
received here. 

It said the raising of poultry, sheep, goats and pigs was improving "from a
managable scale to a
commerical scale." 

The junta has long boasted of the country's abundance of natural resources,
which not only make it
self-sufficient but could allow it to act as the "rice bowl" for the region. 

But experts say the picture was not so rosy, with production stagnating and
agricultural growth lagging
behind other Asian nations. 

The junta said it was also focusing on improving the livestock industry by
boosting the number of qualified
veterinarians and animal husbandry experts. 

It said the meat industry generated 3,564 million kip (594 million dollars
at the official rate), accounting for
12.9 percent of the country's gross domestic product in 1998-99. 

The official exchange rate is six kip to the dollar, but the currency
trades on the blackmarket at about 330
to the dollar. 

Earlier this month Myanmar predicted it would have the fastest-growing
economy in Southeast Asia this
year despite being slapped with Western trade and investment sanctions. 

Senior junta minister Brigadier General David Abel said Myanmar was
confident its economy would
expand by 6.4 percent in 1999. 

The sanctions were designed to punish what critics say is the junta's
appalling human rights record. 


[NOTE BY DNA: THE JUXTAPOSITION OF THIS ARTICLE WITH ANOTHER ENTITLED
"MYANMAR HOLDS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION" IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL]
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