English Edition
- By CNI
- Category: English Section
- Hits: 445
CNI News
20 August 2022
Sugar mills are offering farmers about MMK 80,000 for one ton of sugar cane in the 2022-2023 sugar cane harvesting season, according to sugar cane farmers.
The current sugar cane prices are beneficial for both farmers and mill owners, Vice Chairman U Win Htay of the Myanmar Sugar and Cane Related Products Association, told the CNI.
“Sugar cane prices have hit MMK 80,000 per ton. They are advance reference prices for the 2022-2023 sugar cane harvesting season. As farmers got as much as MMK 68,000 per ton last years, they expanded sugar cane cultivation. New sugar mills were also built in some regions like northern Shan State. So, farmers expanded sugar cane cultivation. Sugar cane prices at MMK 80,000 is profitable. The advance prices are for sugar cane farmer cultivated last year. However, prices are likely to rise further in the upcoming season because of the rising diesel prices. Current prices are beneficial for both farmers and millers.”
Sugar cane reference prices were set at about MMK 60,000 last year.
Millers are offering higher prices for sugar cane to encourage farmers to expand sugar cane cultivation amids rising sugar prices and increasing costs for inputs of farmers.
A pile of sugar cane.
U Maung Swe, a sugar cane farmer from Sagaing Region, told the CNI, “It is profitable for farmers. Farmers can make a profit of about MMK 30,000 per ton after deducting transportation charges even as diesel is very expensive.”
According to the statistics released by the Ministry of Agriculture, sugar cane is cultivated on about 400,000 acres of land in the country but the actual acreage may be higher.
Some farmers are cultivating sugar cane in forest land and if the Forest Department abandons the land and gives farmers rights to work the land, sugar cane cultivation will expand in Myanmar, U Win Htay told the CNI.
He said, “In fact, forest authorities should abandon some forest land to some farmers who have been cultivating sugar cane for about 15 to 20 years for the development of the sugar industry. If forest authorities can do so, farmers will be able to apply for Form-7, which will enable them to get agricultural loans. There are many farmers who cultivate sugar cane on forest land in the entire country including Sagaing Region, Shan State and Bago Region.”
The current reference prices set for sugar cane cultivated in 2021 is profitable for farmers, they should be offered higher prices in the upcoming harvesting season due to increased cultivation costs incurred by rising prices of fertilizers, pesticides and fuel oil, according to sugar cane farmers.
- By CNI
- Category: English Section
- Hits: 482
CNI News
20 August 2022
Although sugar to be exported from Myanmar to Vietnam has been exempted from tariffs, it is necessary to prove that the exported sugar was produced from sugar cane grown in Myanmar or the country of origin, according to the Myanmar Sugar and Cane Related Products Association.
The requirements have offered an opportunity for local sugar merchants and enhance their competitiveness, Vice Chairman U Win Htay of the association told the CNI.
He said, “We are not comparing advantages and disadvantages. It is an opportunity for us to export sugar to Vietnam. Therefore, it is necessary for us to use the opportunity in a correct manner. We cannot export sugar from Thailand or India to Vietnam by changing packages. So, it has enhanced the competitiveness of local merchants.”
Although Vietnam has exempted sugar from Southeast Asian countries except Thailand from tariffs, it has imposed 47 percent tariffs on sugar produced in the kingdom. Therefore, Thai sugar merchants evaded the taxes by exporting sugar through a third country, according to exporters.
A worker carrying sugar cane. (EPA)
As Myanmar sugar merchants also used to reexport sugar from Thailand and India to Vietnam when sugar prices rose due to the growing demand, Vietnam authorities had to impose the requirements for the country of origin.
“There arose a dispute last year when a Myanmar company exported sugar imported from Thailand to Vietnam. So, authorities imposed the requirements to prove the country of origin and import sugar from exporters who can prove this” he told the CNI.
Imposing such requirements is beneficial for local sugar cane farmers and sugar mills and can increase the sugar cane acreage, U Maung Swe, a sugar cane farmer from Sagaing Region, told the CNI.
“It is beneficial for farmers as well as sugar mills. If we can export sugar produced from sugar cane grown in Myanmar, all farmers will expand sugar cane cultivation competitively,” he said.
So far, three Myanmar companies have exported 40,000 tons of sugar to Vietnam. As Myanmar exported 100,000 tons of sugar to Vietnam last year, sugar exports to Vietnam has dropped.
- By CNI News
- Category: English Section
- Hits: 345
CNI News
20 August 2022
Regarding the reformation of the Unity Government under Article 419 of the 2008 Constitution, the chairman of the State Planning and Administration Council (SAC) Major General Min Aung Hlaing has signed and released it today (August 19).
In the amendment, the position of Union Minister in the Ministry of Immigration and Manpower was changed to U Myint Kyine instead of U Khin Yi whereas Dr. Aung Naing Oo who was serving the position of the Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Communications has been assigned as the Minister of Economy and Commerce.
- By CNI
- Category: English Section
- Hits: 324
CNI News
19 August 2022
The visit of Noeleen Heyzer, the special envoy of the secretary general of the United Nations, to Myanmar is unlikely to bear fruit for Myanmar at the moment, Chairman Khun Myint Tun, the chairman of the Pao National Federal Council told the CNI.
He said that the envoy’s talks with the SAC after the execution of four democracy activists including Ko Jimmy and Ko Pyho Zeyar Thaw would not result in tangible progress.
Khun Myint Tun said, “I would like to point out that any kind of communications between the UN and the SAC will not bring about any tangible progress for the current developments in Myanmar after the SAC executed four democracy activists including Ko Jimmy, Ko Phyo Zeyar Thaw and Ko Thura Aung despite the strong objections from the international community including the UN.”
Ms Noeleen Heyzer arrived in Myanmar in the morning of 16th August and met with SAC Chairman Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing and Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin on 17th August.
Pro-democracy demonstrators. (the Forntier Myanmar)
UN envoy’s first visit to Myanmar in one and a half year would not lead to significant changes but each of the issues in Myanmar must be approached separately, Spokesperson of the Peace Process Steering Team Nang Yin Yin Soe told the CNI.
She said, “It also depends on the extent to which the current situation allows. So, it is difficult to exactly guess the result, which depends on how they discussed. We will have to move forward step by step. We will have to watch the discussions closely because it is her first visit to Myanmar in one and a half year and it was the first time she had been granted visa by the SAC. Then, we will have to take the next step. For example, Prak Sokhonn visited Myanmar visited twice, one visit after another. We must approach the issue like that. The analysis of the situation depends on the results of the talks.”
The UN should take the issue of Myanmar seriously, said Chairman Khun Myint Tun of the PNFC.
ASEAN Special Envoy Prak Sokhonn meets member of the PPST.
He said, “As the UN announced prior to the visit that the trip didn’t mean to give legitimacy to the regime, the statement made by President U Win Myint at the court is important because the military said state power was transferred to them. Actually, it seized power and the president also said at the court that he was ousted by the military coup. So, it is very difficult for the UN to recognize the junta. It is necessary for the UN to take the Myanmar issue seriously. The junta executed four democracy activists including Ko Jimmy amidst the objection of the entire international community. So, the junta will meet anyone who pays a visit to them as the last straw whether the latter says it recognizes the junta or not.
The SAC announced that it discussed promotion of trust and cooperation between the UN and Myanmar during the visit.
However, Ms Noeleen Heyzer office said the special envoy urged the SAC to release detained youths and to end violence.
- By CNI
- Category: English Section
- Hits: 318
CNI News
19 August 2022
Due to continuous and heavy rain in Myanmar these days, flooding and landslides are occurring in some regions and states but the charity teams are having difficulty carrying out relief work due to the price of fuel.
The fuel costs nearly fifty thousand (50,000) for a car per day in conducting help and rescue procedures, said U Bo Bo Win, chairman of the rescue group, to CNI News Agency.
He said, “The current situation is that when it rains, we can buy as much oil as we need. There is no problem in this area. When the price of fuel goes up, although we want to go all out in helping the community, there are some things that we need to consider. Let’s say we will go to another place. Is another group already in that area? If they are, we stay put. The main thing is that since the price of fuel is escalating, there are hindrances in our work even though we want to do extensive relief work. More or less, when there is a large-scale influx of people in a neighborhood, help and relief is available within a short period of time and it is convenient to do the job. When there is less man power, there can be delays. There are such things.”
Tachileik City floods
Owing to the difficulties such as the current increase in fuel prices in Myanmar, inability to buy to our desired amount in some regions and the closure of gas stations, the current natural disaster relief operations cannot be conducted as widely as before, said the charity associations to CNI News Agency.
Ko Ditan from the Flower Garden Charity Association in Putao City said, “There are a lot of difficulties. Being located at the far north of Myanmar, it is not a very well-off city. Now we are having difficulty doing charity and social work because there is no more oil available at the gas station. Even if we want to help, cars cannot run due to the lack of fuel. With the current price in Putao, social cars can only run with over 50,000 worth of fuel price. We can help nearby accidents and pregnant mothers who want to go to the hospital. But it is not convenient for us to run long distances anymore. It’s just not available in the gas stations anymore. They are now closed and there is no sign of reopening at the present. It’s just nowhere to buy gas in Putao anymore. There was one station that opened yesterday only for around one hour. If we couldn’t buy it within that window, we just can’t get gas anymore.”
While waiting in line to fill up gas in Lashio on August 13
As the number of donors donating to charity organizations are also getting sparse at the moment, it is reported that the association funds for disaster relief are now being used.
When it comes to encountering awfully bad natural disasters, we are now required to asking for help to the respective government committee if it is according to the current fuel price, said the charity associations.
Currently, due to heavy and continuous rain in some states and regions in Myanmar, the local people who are facing floods have been moved to monasteries as temporary relief.
The current floods in Tachileik City are worse compared with the floods occurred in 2020 and 2021, said an official from Shwe Mae Yang Charitable Association to CNI News Agency.
Tachileik floods philanthropical activities
He said, “How things are going here is the aftermath of the Mekong River basin. After the water rises, the water comes down here and stagnates. So it needs a bit more effort to make things work. It’s more than usual. Now it’s a case of a tropical storm, so this time it’s a little bit bad. About a foot taller than usual. Usually, if you enter about 3 feet in the house, this time the water is almost 4 feet.”
It is seen that the incessant rain on the night of August 16 has caused floods in Yangon as well as in other townships.
According to the weather forecast to today’s evening (August 17th) because of the strong monsoon in the Kapali sea, there can be heavy rain regionally in Yangon Region, Irrawaddy Region, Tanintharyi Region, Rakhine State, Kayin State, and Mon State and the heavy rain may occur in places in Bago Region, announced by the Meteorological Department.
- By CNI
- Category: English Section
- Hits: 570
Senior Military Leader Tar Bone Kyaw said that it is necessary to prepare to build the country
CNI News
19 August 2022
If countries come out with the revolutions accelerating and Myanmar cannot be built as a true union, Ta’ang (Palaung) people should be prepared to build the country, General Secretary of the Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF/TNLA), Tar Bone Kyaw said.
He said as above in the interview with PSLF/TNLA’s press office that aired on August 18.
Senior General Tar Bone Kyaw said, “Political tide will rise. Depending on the geopolitical situation, current world political situation, if this country cannot build even a Union, it will break into pieces and scatter into small countries.
That’s why, we Ta’ang (Palaung) people also need to think about this thoughtfully. And we need to prepare carefully. At the time when this Union is actually built, we also need to prepare ready and make efforts to protect our ethnic group, our people as a state. If it is not like that, a Union cannot be built and countries will come out with the revolutions speeding up due to the geopolitics, world politics and necessity, we also need to prepare to be ready to build our country.”
PSLF/TNLA troops
Currently in Myanmar, Tatmadaw declared the country a state of emergency on February 1st, 2021, with the reason that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) formed a government without resolving the 2020 general election ballot dispute.
After that, starting from the opposition of the Tatmadaw and the protests asking for the reconstruction of Democracy, it widens to the armed revolution. So, fights have been taking place in Sagaing, Magway, Kayin, Chin and Kayar.
However, there have not been wars and it has been stable between Ta’ang (Palaung) armed PSLF/TNLA, that have been active in Mogok-Mongmit district, Shan State (Northern) and Mandalay, and Myanmar Tamadaw.
Although wars had been taking place daily between Myanmar Tatmadaw and TNLA until February 1st, 2021, the fights are now at peace.
Union Peace Conference
PSLF/TNLA is on the way of armed revolution in order to get Ta’ang (Palaung) area and to obtain autonomy.
Senior General Tar Bone Kyaw from PSLF/TNLA said, “we are doing this armed revolution for autonomy, to attain National equality, this kind of opportunities. That’s why our autonomy and personal freedom plays quite an important role for us. So, we are doing this revolution. If that problem cannot be solved, the same problems will continue, the cycle of coup will continue.”
Then, if a true federal union is to be built, it cannot be built only by focusing on the eight ethnicities; Kayin, Chin, Kachin, Kayar, Mon, Myanmar, Rakhine and Shan, it will be a true federal union only if the rest of the ethnic groups are also considered as equals. Otherwise, equality will not be practical, and the other races will just exist as the second class only after the eight major races.”
- By CNI
- Category: English Section
- Hits: 340
CNI News
19 August 2022
There are people from the domestic National League for Democracy (NLD) who want to meet and discuss regarding the current crisis in Myanmar, said the spokesperson of SAC General Zaw Min Tun.
He said the above statement at SAC’s 19th press conference held on August 17.
General Zaw Min Tun said, “There are people within NLD party who can go to the path of negotiation. They themselves are the 88th generation descendants. We have known from their statements that most of NLD party members have long been in the country who have always believed in the path of negotiation and have still been holding on to it.”
seeing Major General Min Aung Hlaing and NLD leaders
Although he said there are people who want to meet and discuss, he did not disclose who they are.
Then, he said that about 3 out of 4 members of the NLD party have signed stating their willingness to peacefully stay in the country and that those who are now in the forest are those who joined the NLP party only after 2012.
Currently, the NLD Party Chairperson Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; the Vice-chairmen U Win Myint and Dr. Zaw Myint Maung were arrested and charged after the military overthrew the NLD government. Then other central executive committee members were arrested and charged as well.
seeing anti-miliary protests (Frontier Myanmar)
A political analyst has shared his take on the issue that after 2012 or not no matter the joining time, a person registered in the NLD party will always be a NLP Party member; and it will be difficult to implement the process of negotiation since most of the NLD members are still in opposition to negotiation and that there is no prospect of implementation from SAC’s side as well.
He said, “If we look at the before part of February 1, we don’t see much willingness from NLD side when the military proposed negotiation. After that, a coup d'état happened. Now that the miliary is building the situation he wants after throwing a coup, there is a question about whether they still want to do the negotiation. I guess the answer is no. If we look at the public, they are standing firm on the side of no negotiation when it comes to blood debt, we still have to watch whether NLD will go that way and how far the third party will come to play at this scene.”
Currently, there is an ongoing competition between SAC and NUG for international recognition as the legitimate government and there are armed conflicts taking place that aim towards annihilating the competition.
- By CNI News
- Category: English Section
- Hits: 406
CNI News
18 August 2022
Every armed organization is accountable for landmines they planted as the people in Rakhine State often lose their lives and limbs in landmine explosions, Rakhine Politician U Pe Than told the CNI.
U Pe Than said, “They must be held responsible for landmines they planted. Landmines are laid not against the people but against their enemies. However, members of the public always fall victim to these landmines. So, it is necessary for all armed organizations to take responsibility for landmines they planted and to be humane. How can the public know the places where landmines were laid. They have never seen landmines. If the Tatmadaw continues to use landmines under such circumstances, the public will be in danger. So, every armed organization is responsible to remove the landmines they laid when they move to another place or after a certain period.”
The Tatmadaw is mainly responsible for landmines as most of them were found in the surrounding areas of the camps and temporary camps of the Tatmadaw, he added.
AA leader Maj-Gen Tun Myat Naing and Col Kyaw Han.
Since landmines were not effectively cleared during ceasefire between the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army and the Tatmadaw, local residents have fallen victim to them and the increasing use landmines due to current military tensions between them is worrisome, Writer Wai Hin Aung told the CNI.
He said, “Now that military tensions are escalating between the AA and the Tatmadaw and armed clashes have broken out, it is very difficult to put blame on one side or the other. International non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations have to clear landmines on a self-help basis and launch awareness campaigns for the villagers. However, it is impossible for these organizations to clear and destroy all these landmines. Both the AA and the Tatmadaw are responsible for the problem and will have to beat the responsibility. However, tensions are escalating between them and civil society organizations are put into a very difficult situation.”
The Myanmar Tatmadaw.
Although local residents know that landmines were laid in several places, they have to go into mountains and forests for their living and just launching awareness raising campaigns is not enough to locate landmines on the ground, U Pe Than said.
He said, “What they are doing now is insufficient. No one knows where landmines were laid exactly. Having been hit by landmines, victims will not recover by receiving first aid or taking care of their health because they have lost their limbs, which have to be amputated. Both the AA and the Tatmadaw are responsible for the victims. The government is responsible for everything for victims including medical treatment, removal of landmines, livelihood and artificial limbs. They should be humane.”
In July, there were about seven landmine explosions in Rakhine State and there were two landmine explosions until 18th in August. Most victims lost their limbs, especially legs.
- By CNI News
- Category: English Section
- Hits: 533
CNI News
18 August 2022
The depreciation of Myanmar kyat and reduced kyat holding have raised questions on where the currency has been flowing into.
With the economic downturn due to political instabilities in Myanmar and the appreciation of foreign currencies, Myanmar kyat is depreciating and inflation has risen.
The Myanmar public has lost confidence in the kyat and buy gold and US dollars in the black market or purchase property.
The flow of the kyat into the property market is not beneficial for the economy in the long run, Economic Observer U Htay Aung Kyi told the CNI.
He said, “Where has Myanmar kyat gone to? Extremely rich people hoard US dollars. Even if they cannot get it in the official market, they buy US dollars in the black market. Those who are worried about government action hoarding US dollars buy gold. So, Myanmar kyat has gone to foreign exchange and gold industries. Those who do not buy US dollars or gold purchase property. Excessively investing in the property market is dangerous for the economy in the long run. It can lead to property bubble bursts similar to what happened in South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia in 1997. Generally speaking, excessive investment in the real estate market is not beneficial for the economy in the long run.”
Academy gold bars.
Due to political instabilities in Myanmar, many people are withdrawing their deposits from banks and buy US dollar, gold or property to avoid concerns caused by holding Myanmar kyat.
In early August, the local gold demand increased dramatically, pushing up prices to MMK 2.8 million per tical and setting new records.
As Myanmar kyat has depreciated and people hoard gold, the kyat has flowed into the gold industry, according to gold market researchers.
There are speculations that a large sum of Myanmar kyat has gone into the gold market as buyers purchased the precious metal by visses.
Deposits at a bank.
Ko Nay Lin Khant, a gold market researcher, told the CNI, “Myanmar kyat circulates not through bank transfers but through cash payments. So, a large sum of Myanmar kyat will flow into the hands of gold traders and goldsmith shops. When the supply is low in the market because gold mining halts during the rainy season and the demand rises, gold hoarders will resell their precious metal and prices will fall. They will resell their gold if they can get a little profit.”
U Htay Aung Kyi told the CNI that facilitation of the trade and investment sectors is important to reduce inflation and streamline the circulation of Myanmar kyat.
US$ notes.
He said, “It is important to improve the business environment. The economy must be running normally and trade must be conducted as usual. Confidence in trade and investment must be restored for the economy to recover. So, favourable business, political and legal environments are essential for economic recovery. Another important factor is the economic environment like exchange rates, inflation rates, interest rates. The interaction of the three rates must be in a favourable position for the country.
Public confidence in banks is also important to reduce the impacts of the depreciation of Myanmar kyat on the economy and it is necessary for banks to make cash withdrawals easier, according to businesspeople.