June 07, 2020
By Nyein Nyein
THE government has reserved about 32,000 tonnes of rice over a month, according to Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF).
The Ministry of Commerce, Myanmar Inspection and Testing Service (MITS), the authorized organization of the State and MRF implemented rice reserve scheme on 30 April. The state has purchased about 32,000 tonnes of rice from 110 companies as of 5 June and the rice has been stored at nine warehouses, in line with the set rules and regulations.
The exporters must sell 10 per cent of total export volume (25% broken, well-milled and sorted rice), stated in the export declaration as country’s reserved rice.
The reserved rice must be sent to the state’s warehouse. MITS, the authorized organization of the State, is to inspect and verify the quality and quantity.
The Yangon Region government has been receiving the reserved rice proportioned by sea trade, while some percentage of the border export are being stored at the Consumer Affairs Department in Mandalay Region.
The country has the rice reserve scheme for emergency case beyond self-sufficiency in the domestic market. Myanmar’s rice export has returned to normal in May and it intends to ship over 2 million tonnes of rice in the current financial year, according to the MRF.
The Federation has been negotiating with the government concerning the export depending on the situations of the pandemic and local and foreign markets. Additionally, MRF, its subsidiary organizations and the rice traders are coordinating to have a much fairer price of rice for the consumers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Local market constitutes over 70 per cent of production, whereas 20 per cent go to the Govt purchases about 32,000 tonnes of reserved rice as of 5 June foreign market. This being so, there is a balance between domestic market and export.
During the pandemic, the Ministry of Commerce and Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) have planned to export 100,000 tonnes of rice through sea trade and 50,000 tonnes through border trade every month.
They are negotiating with ASEAN and the neighbouring countries to sell the rice through government (G to G) plan.
(Translated by Ei Myat Mon)
