CNI News
13 September 2023
As not only skilled workers but also other youths from Myanmar have been going abroad, when Myanmar are losing its human resources, it is not easy to promote production, said businessmen and agricultural experts.
If production cannot be promoted, exports may decline and foreign income may be less. So, relevant authorities should think about finding ways to prevent from labor drain to foreign countries, they pointed out.
If foreign income has gone less, it probably will be difficult to import goods from abroad and many other bad impacts may arise, said U Thet Zaw, an economic analyst, to CNI News.
" If there is no strategy, it is difficult to promote income. if income is less, it is difficult to get export earning. We are relying on agricultural sector alone to get export earnings. The rest is gas. We don't know when the gas will run out. If the agricultural sector can't produce the amount that can be relied, a lot of difficulties can appear." said U Thet Zaw.
People doing agriculture
Because Myanmar nationals who are going abroad to get well-paid jobs cannot be prevented, machines should replace the work force that has ben lost, he added.
" If we cannot substitute, we will find it difficult to expand the business because the farmers are 70 percent of the population. Labors are mainly used in agriculture and livestock. There have not been so many workers in the industrial sector in our country. Seeds and planting technology are important in the agricultural sector. And then, harvesting techniques are also important. if they all can be changed with modern technology, the yield per acre will increase. The current technology cannot promote the yield." he said.
Among the reasons why skilled youths have gone abroad, lowly-paid salaries and low wages are included and apart from job creation, wages and salaries should be raised to make the number of skilled youths who go abroad decline, which people reviewed.
It was necessary to promote domestic production in order to be able to replace foreign imports, said chairman of the State Administration Council in July this year. However, according to the current situation, it is impossible to promote the production, said Ko Zaw Min Naing, an agricultural and economic advisor, to CNI News.
Myanmar workers who will go abroad
" Mainly, production did not increase. So, monetary inflation arose, I think. The production is not in a situation that can be promoted for many reasons at present. According to the armed conflicts happening all over the country, according to the political instability, it is difficult to promote the production. All the sectors are deteriorating in Myanmar. The people are facing with a lot of difficulties including farmers and traders. It is too difficult to promote the production in the current situation. Only when we can build a stable situation, we can promote the production, I think." he said.
Moreover, domestic products should meet the domestic demand and only the surplus should be exported. If not so, there will be food shortages locally. And policies should be changed, pointed out the businessmen and agricultural experts.
However, according to the report of the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), PMI number of the Myanmar's domestic production increased to 57.4 in April, 2023 reportedly. PMI numbers are from 0 to 100 and above 50 is showing improvement and under 50, setback reportedly.
