Govt mulls shifting border fruit depots inside Myanmar

By Aye Yamone

 

TO prevent Myanmar goods from being sold at low prices, the government is considering shifting fruit commodities depots along the China-Myanmar border inside Myanmar, said Dr Thet Lwin Oo, the director of the Trade Promotion Department under the Ministry of Commerce.

 

He made the remarks at a coordination meeting to promote exports of Myanmar fruits, held on Tuesday at the Myanmar International Trade Center in Yangon.

 

“We will not draw the route by ourselves. We will form a committee to discuss the route in detail. But, we will have to decide on a policy so that they can formulate the strategy. For example, Chinshwehaw and Muse are on the same route, and they are separated from Hsenwi. To prevent Myanmar goods from being sold at low prices, the commodities need to be moved inside Myanmar to make them legal. It will be safe for us. We will discourage the purchase of goods in the border areas. They can be bought at Hsenwi or Chinshwehaw instead. If goods arrive in the border areas, we don’t have a choice. Therefore, we are thinking of moving the commodities depots inside Myanmar,” he added.

 

 “Additionally, we plan to convene goods expos in Lashio in the future, instead of Muse, which is located on the China-Myanmar border. Moreover, the bilateral border goods expo which is planned in November will be held in Lashio, instead of Muse,” he said.

 

“Previously, border goods expos were mostly held in border areas. It was not convenient for us when the expos were held in border areas. Our merchants slept and ate on the China side. They just came to the expo in the early morning. If we convene the expos in Lashio, the Chinese merchants will have to sleep and eat in Lashio. In this case, the people on our side can earn some income,” he added.

 

Currently, Myanmar’s trade with China through the Muse border trade zone has virtually come to a halt because of clashes in northern Shan State.

 

 In addition, Myanmar merchants and local farmers are facing difficulties because the export of some products such as rice, corn, and sugar is considered to be illegal by China. (Translated by Hay Mar)