Agriculture

Myanmar boasts diverse ecological conditions, fertile soil, and promising fisheries and aquaculture. The current administration has centred its vision for future economic prosperity and its drive to alleviate poverty around agriculture. Demonstrating the sector’s significance, agriculture accounted for 38% of GDP and 70% of the workforce in 2018. While Myanmar was once the world’s largest exporter of rice, the post-independence era saw state support for agriculture decline and productivity levels drop. Today, however, efforts to enhance crop diversity and increase output are being introduced, bolstered by the June 2019 opening of the Myanmar Productivity Centre. Even so, major upgrades to storage and processing facilities, rural electrification and transport infrastructure are needed to strengthen the position of producers in the farm-to-market value chain and help them gain additional revenue. This chapter contains an interview with U Ye Min Aung, Secretary-General, Myanmar Rice Federation; and Managing Director, Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation.