Myanmar to Promote Export of Beans,

[darnott@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Myanmar to Promote Export of Beans, Pulses
:
Xinhua, Rangoon, 19 August 2000.Myanmar is making efforts to
promote the export of quality beans and pulses since the country
enjoys the status of being the largest beans and pulses exporter
among member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN)

The remark was made here on Friday by Myanmar Minister of Agriculture
and Irrigation Major-General Nyunt Tin at a workshop on promotion of beans
and pulses production and trade being held since Friday under the ASEAN
cooperation program.

Speaking at the two-day workshop sponsored by the Myanma Agriculture
Service, Nyunt Tin said Myanmar is also striving to become the second largest
exporter of beans and pulses in the world while the country is standing the 
third now.

He disclosed that Myanmar will host national focal point meeting in which
representatives of ASEAN member nations will take part.

The workshop covers discussions on means to develop the yield and quality
of beans and pulses, research programs, cross-breeding of the crops and on
disease-resistant crops.

Beans and pulses are one of Myanmar's four pillar crops earning huge foreign
exchange income. The others are paddy, cotton and sugarcane.

According to official statistics, in fiscal year 1999-2000 which ended in 
March,
Myanmar exported a total of 650,700 tons of various beans and pulses including
Matpe and Pedesein, the two popular items of the crops.

Foreign exchange, earned through the export of beans and pulses, represents
16.76 percent of the total export value.