Agri exports earn $289m in April-May

This year’s total earnings so far amount to $289 million, a slight decline on last year’s $309 million earnings over the same period. Beans and peas are the highest earners so far this year, at just over US$110 million, the ministry said. Rice and rice-related products earned just over $51 million, a slight increase on last year. Last fiscal year (2012-13), the country exported over four million tons of agricultural products and earned $2.4 billion. 

 

Mitsubishi to expand operations

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) is set to open after-sales service centres in the capital Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay, MMC said on Monday. The opening ceremony of MMC’s first-ever after-sales service centre was held on Monday in Yangon, after the company began its operations on May 20 in Kamaryut Township. Two local companies – Yoma Strategic Holdings Limited and First Myanmar Investment Company – are jointly operating the Yangon service centre.

MMC is strengthening its brand image in Myanmar, aiming to build on a country it says has the economic potential to become one of the largest and most important markets in Asia and Asean.

 

More tourist  police needed 

As the country’s tourism sector rises, Myanmar needs more police officers dedicated to a trained for maintaining tourists’ safety, said Civilian Police Advisor Mark Wilson.

“More foreign tourists are visiting Myanmar now. It could damage the country’s image if something bad such as the killing of a tourist should occur. So the country needs more highly qualified tourist police officers,” Wilson said. Candidates on the “Tourist Police” training course are currently learning English. “We are teaching 120 trainees now. The Myanmar Police Force is collaborating with us for the training as best as it can,” said Wilson.

European countries, the US, Japan and Australia are providing financial assistance for the training of tourist police.

Over 250,000 foreign tourists visited the country from January to April, a 44 per cent increase on the previous year, the tourism ministry said.

 

NFIDAsia to launch algae farming 

Nation First International Development Asia (NFIDAsia) Co is planning to launch algae farming in Yangon, David DuByne from NFIDAsia said. NFDIAsia has signed a MoU agreement with Hisham Koh & Associates (HKA), which has carried out UNDP development programmes in Myanmar to set up algae farming in rural areas throughout the country. 

“NFIDAsia is not a business which will take Myanmar’s money out to other countries. The project will be beneficial for both sides, including local people. We will grow the algae, manufacture it locally and distribute the finished products around the world,” said Jonathan Pierce, president of NFIDAsia.