25 February
In a bid to boost the productivity of Myanmar’s small and medium enterprises, the government will set up the Myanmar Productivity Center this year, said U Ko Ko Lwin, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry.
He made the remarks at a roundtable to implement the plan for the Myanmar Productivity Center at the Novotel Hotel on 23 February.
“This move aims to boost trade. The SMEs constitute 95 per cent of the country’s business. The center will help improve SME management and technology, and increase productivity,” said U Ko Ko Lwin.
The Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry-UMFCCI and the Japan Productivity Center had carried out a pilot project to increase SME productivity in January, 2016. The pilot project was backed by the Japan ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).
During the project’s term, 50 enterprises under the Ministry of Industry witnessed a 40-per-cent growth in productivity after undergoing SME technology and management training programs.
“We will share essential productivity and management skills with SMEs. We will adopt unused technology through the JAIF to enhance productivity in the SME sector,” said U Aung Kyi Soe, the secretary-general of the UMFCCI.
The JAIF has set a three year term for the project to help consolidate Myanmar Productivity Organization through the Myanmar Productivity Center.
At the roundtable, experts from Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Viet Nam’s National Productivity Organizations shared their know-how and exchanged ideas. There are more than 70,000 SMEs registered with the Ministry of Industry, according to data released by the Directorate of Industrial Supervision and Inspection.
By Aye Yamone
(Translated by Ei Myat Mon)
