THE opening ceremony of the fourth South Asia Agri Forum 2026, hosted by Myanmar, was held yesterday morning at the Novotel Hotel in Yangon, attended by Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein, Deputy Commerce Minister U Min Min, along with the departmental officials and guests.
At the ceremony, the deputy minister addressed the holding of South Asia Agri Forum 2026, cooperation between Myanmar and India will create further strengthened and new opportunities for mutual benefit, Myanmar exports other products such as maize, seafood, peanuts, timber and rubber, and in return, Myanmar imports pharmaceuticals and industrial raw materials to support its economic sector with exporting pulses to India, India’s duty-free policy and the ASEAN-India Economic Framework have facilitated economic opportunities between the two countries, the exporting the pulses, Myanmar’s rice exports, financial and banking issues between the two countries will be facilitated and the further strengthened existing cooperation between Myanmar and India.
The fourth South Asia Agri Forum 2026 was being hosted at the Novotel Hotel in Yangon from 22 to 23 January. The forum was attended by Regional Ministers, officials from the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, Permanent Secretary Mrs Nidhi Khare from the India Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ministry, Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Abhay Thakur, President of Republic of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Myanmar Pulses, Maize and Sesame Traders Association, the chairpersons and officials from Oversea Agro Traders Association (OATA Myanmar) and Bharat Subcontinent Agri Foundation (BSAF), pulse exporting companies, 161 foreign entrepreneurs including Canada, Australia, USA, Brazil, Nepal, Bangladesh, Singapore, Russia, Sri Lanka, India, Tanzania, UAE and some countries of the European Union, 46 foreign buyers who are regular buyers of local grains and special invitees who are involved in the entire process of grain production from Myanmar to export, local and foreign experts from banks, transport companies, ports and shipping lines.
In the afternoon, the deputy minister met Secretary Mrs Nidhi Khare from the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Distribution, India, who is here to attend the 13th South Asia Agri Forum 2026 at the Novotel Hotel in Yangon.
During the meeting, they discussed ways to promote bilateral trade, Myanmar hosting the 9th Myanmar-India Joint Trade Committee Meeting, Myanmar-India Economic Dialogue and South Asia Agri Forum (2026), which is a symbol of strong and good relations between the two countries, maintaining the existing good relations and working together to increase trade between the two countries, extending the MoU on Trade Cooperation between Myanmar and India in pulses and sorghum, promoting exports of pulses, other oilseeds, cotton and agricultural products including pulses and sorghum to India, and technical cooperation to improve the quality of agricultural products from Myanmar to international standards, and more effective payment of bilateral payments to further increase bilateral trade. — MNA/MKKS
