Govt greenlights fruit and veg wholesale market

The government has agreed to set up the country’s first wholesale fruit and vegetable markets in an effort to bolster trade with neighbouring countries as well as to satisfy increasing demand from China, an official said.

The markets, which are to be established in each of Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon, Mandalay and Muse, along the Chinese border, came as a part of a joint agreement on February 10 between several ministries including the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Trade the Minister of Co-operatives U Kyaw San announced last week.

“There are no wholesale markets for fruit and vegetables in Myanmar. There are sudden changes in price due to lack of information and access so farmers often face losses from unseasonable low prices as they can’t penetrate new overseas markets,” he said.

The minister said that the wholesale markets would promote local fruit and vegetable farmers by not only creating a trade outlet for them, but also providing new services, including cold storage facilities.

“The agriculture sector is still undeveloped,” said Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation U Myint Hlaing.

“Therefore the president has instructed us to seek new overseas markets to improve farmers’ income,” he said, adding that the he expects the new initiative to double the income of fruit and vegetable farmers.

Mandalay Region and Shan State already produce export-quality fruit and vegetables, with farmers in Shan State growing more than 42,000 acres of potatoes each year, according to government data.

The new markets would also serve other farmers growing common foods such as potatoes, honeydew melons, watermelons, grapes and plums – products already being exported to China through the Muse border gate.

source: The Myanmar Times

http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/business/9573-govt-to-establish-first-fruit-and-vegetable-wholesale-markets.html