23 December

Vice President U Henry Van Thio, in his capacity as the chairman of Farmer Rights Protection and Enhancement of their Benefits, made a speech at the opening ceremony of Shan State Agriculture Symposium held at Heho Garden in Inkhaung village of Kalaw Township in Taunggyi District of southern Shan State yesterday morning.

The Vice President was accompanied by Union Minister Dr Aung Thu, Deputy Ministers Maj-Gen Than Htut, U Tin Myint, Dr Ye Myint Swe, U Aung Htoo, Chairpersons of Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw affairs committees, departmental heads.

As their helicopter landed at the Heho Airport, they were welcomed by Shan State Chief Minister Dr Lin Htut, State Hluttaw Speaker U Sai Lone Sine, Shan State Chief Justice U Kywe Kywe, Shan government members and officials.

At the opening ceremony of symposium which is the very first of its kind in Shan State, Vice President U Henry Van Thio said that the event was aimed to be able to develop suzstainable agricultural system, to secure appropriate prices and markets for the products, to introduce agricultural equipment and to promote socioeconomics of local farmers and economic development of the whole Shan State.

He added that the symposium could expand the agricultural networks from cultivation to markets for their produce, as the agricultural training courses will be conducted together with paper reading sessions of agricultural experts.

He also urged the farmers to get certificates of Good Agricultural Practices in consideration of public health.

The Vice President finally expressed thanks to all who participated in organizing the symposium.

Union Minister Dr Aug Thu and Shan State Chief Minister Dr Lin Htut also delivered speeches at the ceremony before cutting the ceremonial ribbon together with the State Hluttaw Speaker.

At the briefing hall, the Vice President and party heard reports on the event. They also looked around research plots, plants for substitution crops, and the booths of private companies, government ministries, livestock and agricultural equipment, in a total of 180 booths, during the three-day symposium where training courses and paper reading sessions are also taking place.—MNA (Translated by Aung Khin)