Myanmar bags US$44 mln from export of over 12,000 MT of shrimps to foreign markets in 9 months

 

More than 12,355 metric tons of shrimp worth over US$44 million were conveyed to foreign coun­tries in the past nine months (April-December) of the current 2022-2023 Financial Year, accord­ing to the Fisheries Department.

 

The export volume this FY was up by 1,966 MTs compared to the 10,388 MTs registered in the corresponding period last FY.

 

The seaborne trade is the primary source for shrimp ex­ports and shrimps are delivered to the neighbouring countries through the border posts. The fisheries export amounted to $732.156 million in the 2018- 2019FY, $858.96 million in the 2019-2020FY, $785.021 million in the 2020-2021FY and $481.657 million in the 2021-2022 mi­ni-budget period.

 

Myanmar’s fisheries prod­ucts are yearly shipped to 45 countries. At present, live ani­mals in the livestock sector are mainly exported to neighbouring countries via cross-border trade. To implement the commercial shrimp farming businesses, the shrimp larvae are imported from neighbouring countries. There­fore, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation elab­orated on the need for a pub­ lic-private partnership to operate shrimp hatcheries in the country.

 

Myanmar produced over 5,300 tonnes of freshwater and saltwater fish and shrimp in the 11 months of the 2019-2020FY, with over 2,800 tonnes supplied by the saltwater fishing business­es. Between October and August of the 2019-2020FY, fisheries pro­duction stood at 1,055.66 tonnes by livestock businesses, 295.4 tonnes by fish farms, 1,120.74 tonnes by communal fishing enterprises and 2,844.83 tonnes by saltwater fishing businesses.

 

Myanmar’s agriculture sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for 30 per cent of the Gross Domes­tic Product (GDP) and 68 per cent of the income of the rural communities, the ministry stat­ed. — TWA/EMM