Demand for Myanmar rice still strong in China
Play
China continues to purchase Myanmar rice despite dwindling exports during the month of July, according to traders.
Rice exports decreased six-fold during the month of July. Currently Myanmar competes with Vietnam to export rice to China, which is also buying Vietnamese rice because it is cheaper.
“We have a lot of rice to export because the rice traders are selling their collective rice. Currently, China is purchasing Myanmar’s rice because it is of high standard. There is 1,000 to 1,200 tonnes of rice a day in Muse Trading Camp,” said Chan Thar Oo, vice-chairman of the Myanmar Paddy Association.
The price of rice also increased in the local market in July, though the price is now stable due to selling of state reserve rice.
Myanmar exports high quality rice at US$450 to $460 (Bt14,500-Bt14,800) per tonne. It also sells lesser quality rice (25-per-cent broken grain) at $405 to $410 per tonne.
Political parties warned not to take foreign assistance
Political parties found receiving support from foreign entities will be in breach of the constitution and could be abolished, according to Myanmar’s Electoral Commission.
The commission sent a warning letter to all political parties on August 23, saying that they must abide by Article 407 of the 2008 Constitution or have their registration revoked.
“If a member of a political party breaches Article 407, he must be expelled from the party. If the party does not expel him intentionally, the party’s registration will be revoked and the party will be abolished,” the letter said.
Article 407 maintains that: “If a political party directly or indirectly receives and expends financial, material and other assistance from a foreign government, a religious association, other association or a person from a foreign country, it shall have no right of continued existence.”
It also warned that any kind of organisation, including associations, unions, committees, networks and clubs need to apply to the Ministry of Home Affairs for permission to form.
If any organisation standing without the ministry’s permission is engaged in an activity, they will be held responsible for the breach of law, it warned.
Chinese chicken eggs raise fears of bird flu
Imported eggs from China have been brought across Shan state to Mandalay, causing fears of a bird-flu outbreak, according to officials.
The chicken eggs were artificially fertilised in Laisho, northern Shan state, and have raised concerns of the spread of the H5N1 virus or bird-flu virus to Myanmar. “The authorities will check that those [artificially fertilised] eggs do not enter Yangon,” said Dr Hla Hla Thein, vice-chairman of the Myanmar Livestock Federation.
“This year chicken is in short supply and the price of the meat has increased. So Chinese eggs are coming but now those eggs are a danger because bird flu has already occurred in China. We know that the Chinese chicks are arriving in Mandalay through Lashio,” the vice-chairman added.
