Myanmar builds more fertilizer plant to meet domestic demand

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Myanmar is building one more fertilizer plant in Pathein, Ayeyawaddy division, in a bid to meet its domestic demand, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Thursday.

The plant, which will become the fifth state-owned one, will produce 500 tons of fertilizer a day as the four existing ones do on completion, the sources said.

According to earlier report, Myanmar imported 400,000 tons of fertilizer in the fiscal year 2007-08 for cultivation of 44 million acres (17.82 million hectares) of agricultural crops.



Myanmar also imported 125,000 tons of fertilizer through border trade in the first half (April-September) of the fiscal year 2008-09.

The increased fertilizer import was attributed to the pressing demand for resumption of agriculture work in cyclone-hit regions.

Fertilizer is among major import goods of Myanmar. The others are machinery, medicines and consumers goods.

According to official statistics, Myanmar's fertilizer import was registered 9.8 million dollars in 2007-08.

Fertilizer plants in Myanmar are scattered in Salay, Kyunchaungand Kyaw Swa, producing annually a total of 100,000 tons of urea and meeting only 6.6 percent of the total demand of about 1.5 million tons normally.

To promote the development of agriculture, Myanmar has in one way exempted the import duty of fertilizer along with agricultural machinery, pesticide and improved variety.

Source:Xinhua