61st Myanma Gems & Jewellery Expo set for 8-17 Oct

THE 61^st Myanmar Gems and Jewellery Exhibition will be held for ten days from 8 to 17 October, ac­cording to the second cen­tral committee meeting of the Myanma Gems Empo­rium held at the Manira­dana Jade Hall in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning.

The exhibition will feature 700 pearls, 160 gemstones and 3,073 jades, including 1,255 Group B jades and 1,468 Group C jades, while the Group A items will com­prise 700 pearls, 160 gem­stones and 350 jades. The items will be sold through a tender system on speci­fied dates.

At the meeting, Un­ion Minister for Natural Resources and Environ­mental Conservation U Hsan Oo said gem traders would be allowed to pay security deposits in the value of gems in US dol­lars or other foreign cur­rencies accepted by the Central Bank of Myanmar, or the equivalent amounts in Myanmar kyat, as at previous exhibitions.

He added that, for pearls, local and foreign gem traders would be al­lowed to make payments based on the exchange rate equivalent to the US dollar. For gemstones and jades, the applicable ex­change rate would be the highest rate among those published by the Central Bank of Myanmar and private banks. The rates published on 8 October, the exhibition opening day, will be used to ensure the State does not suffer losses and that local and foreign gem traders can purchase gems at com­petitive prices.

Members of the cen­tral committee of the My­anma Gems Emporium and the chairman and members of the Myan­mar Gem and Jewellery entrepreneurs Associa­tion discussed matters related to the exhibition and clarified the work of respective committees. — MNA/MKKS