Union Minister for Commerce Dr Than Myint, in his capacity as Vice-Chairman of the Private Sector Development Committee, visited the Chiba Farm in Chiba Village, Shwebo Township in Sagaing Region on Friday. Consumer Affairs Department Director-General U Myint Lwin accompanied the Union Minister during the tour. At the Farm meeting hall, they met local paddy growers; the Farm deputy in-charge Daw Tin Moe Nwe reported the area, office buildings, and constructing Seed Centre aided by JICA. They arrived at the Two Elephants Power Loom Factory, a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), in Seik Khun Village; the factory’s owner U Thet Naing explained its operation with over 400 power looms.
He also reported the difficulties of raw materials shortage and purchase of textile dyes from China during COVID-19 including the expansion of the businesses that is facing difficulties because of limited amounts of loans received for SMEs.
The Union Minister said that he would coordinate over the reported matters in cooperation with relevant ministries, and then inspected the factory’s weaving works. The Union Minister and party also inspected the operations of manual looms at Bo Tae Gone Village in Seik Khun Village-tract.
They arrived at Chiba Village in the evening, and met local businesspersons at the village’s Mya Thein Tan (West) Monastery.
At the meeting, the Union Minister urged local businesspersons to increase manufacturing of cottons and fabrics saying that the ministry is easing restrictions to speed up trading businesses. He also urged the businesspersons to try hard for exporting value-added products.
He added that if the costs of entire supply chain are reduced the products can compete in the market. They then met the local farmers of Nyaungbintha Village at the Village Administrator Office. Local people reported the matters related to installation of more transformers, irrigation works, transportations, and getting more agricultural loans. The Union Minister said he would coordinate the reported matters in cooperation with relevant ministries.—MNA
(Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun)
