The Office of Industrial Economics (OIE) is pushing ahead with a plan to improve the agro-processing industry across six countries under the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) pact by exploring the status of agrobusiness in Myanmar.
Information obtained from Myanmar and the five other member states would be used to design an international training programme entitled "Capacity Building on Food Security in Agro-Processing Industry among Mekong Countries and China", said Warawan Chitaroon, director-general of the OIE.
The event is tentatively scheduled to be organised in Thailand early next year.
Members of the MLC are Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and China.
"The OIE and the National Food Institute recently visited Yangon and Mandalay to exchange in-depth information with the authorities and business people in order to work together to strengthen food security, supply chains and the agro-processing industry," said Mrs Warawan.
Human resource development is one of the factors that would help MLC members further develop their agri-businesses.
Closer cooperation among the six countries would lead to new business opportunities and pave the way for the establishment of an industry network across the countries, she said.
According to Mrs Warawan, Myanmar is rich in natural resources and suitable for farming businesses. Rice and tropical crops including beans, sugar cane and certain fruits are cultivated in order to serve domestic demand and for export.
The country's food security and its supply chain in the agro-processing industry are strong.
However, Myanmar tends to export fresh products and raw materials for food processing. The country has yet to develop many value-added products.
This indicates Myanmar needs know-how on agro-processing technology, packaging and marketing, she said.
Myanmar can cooperate with Thailand and other MLC countries in the area of international marketing.
The OIE plans to meet the authorities and business people in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and China to obtain additional information to support the plan to boost the agro-processing industry via sub-regional cooperation.
