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One in five watermelon trucks remains undamaged due to long queue

As watermelon trucks heading to China is facing long queues, most of the watermelons turned bad. Only one in five trucks are left undamaged with quality watermelon, said U Sai Khin Maung from the Khwanyo Fruit Depot. A kilogramme of watermelon is priced at 6-7 Yuan at present. “The news of watermelon fetching a good price is spreading on the social network. It is real that the traders receive 6-7 Yuan per kilo. However, we cannot expect how many quantities remained in good condition. About 20-tonne truckloads of watermelons are left unhurt out of 5-6 trucks in the previous days. Such an unfortunate event will happen again upon the prolonged delay triggered by the driver-substitution system at the border.

We cannot predict anything in the difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic. If the price drops, the warehouse owners will suffer great loss amid the high transportation charges,” U Sai Khin Maung stressed. The market will raise its head only after reducing delays in China sides, getting entry permits for Myanmar shorthaul drivers to the market beyond Chinese drivers and cutting the red-tape and trade barriers in Myanmar sides, he continued. Additionally, the Muse 105th mile fruit centre notified on 16 December that watermelons of inferior quality and rotten ones will be rejected by Chinese counterparts and quality plays a pivotal role in trade. Furthermore, the truck drivers must get vaccinated two times and they must present the vaccination certification to the authorities, according to the centre. Quality deterioration occurred owing to a 20-days wait.

On 9 December, some watermelon trucks out of 26 in the first batch entered the market and four truckloads of watermelon were sold at 90,000 Yuan, the Khwanyo Fruit Depot stated. The watermelons can be offered a higher price for better quality, U Sai Khin Maung elaborated. He urged the exporters to figure out the queue times rather than the price. In addition to COVID-19 restriction measures, Chinese customs regulations resulted in delays. That is why both the growers and traders have to carefully observe the market conditions before harvesting. During the COVID-19 pandemic, trade facilitation is unlikely to happen according to China’s trade policy. Trade will go back to normality after China eases the rule and restriction measures for COVID-19. Kyinsankyawt border post between Myanmar and China, which was previously closed down from 8 July, has been reopened starting from 26 November on a trial run.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

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MAI, Air KBZ to fly Yangon-Sittway and Yangon-Thandwe daily

Myanmar Airways International (MAI) and Air KBZ will fly Yangon-Sittway and Yangon Thandwe flights daily for domestic travellers, according to the press release of the airlines. These airlines will run the Yangon-Kyaukpyu flight every Monday, Thursday and Saturday. To control the spread of COVID-19, the country has extended the COVID-19 entry restriction for most international travellers until 31 December, according to the statement of the Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment for COVID-19.

All of these restrictions were extended until the end of November 2021 earlier, but the restriction has now been extended until 31 December to implement more effective measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreigners travelling for urgent reasons, including diplomatic issues, may contact a Myanmar diplomatic mission to receive an exemption. However, the travellers must produce a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken within 72 hours before arrival.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the international passenger aircraft will not be allowed to operate at Yangon International Airport until 31 December to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Myanmar via air travel Myanmar has received US$69.2 million as revenue from e-Visa and over 1.7 million tourists applied for e-Visa from 2016 to August 2020, according to the official data of the Ministry of Immigration and Population. Myanmar has reported a total of 528,380 COVID-19 infections, with 19,226 deaths as of 21 December. At the same time, a total of 505,761 patients have been recovered from the virus.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

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Myanmar-Thai border trade up to US$195 mln till 10 December

The Myanmar-Thailand border trade has increased by US$195.1 million between 1 October and 10 December this mini-budget year of 2021-2022FY, according to the Ministry of Commerce. The country’s export to neighbouring Thailand reached $545.09 million, while its import shared $319.53 million.

During the corresponding period of the FY2020-2021, Myanmar- Thailand border trade touched a high of $669.52 million. The country mainly conducts border trade with Thailand through seven land borders Tachilek, Myawady, Kawthoung, Myeik, Hteekhee, Mawtaung and Meisei. From 1 October 2021 to 10 December 2022, the Myawady checkpoint topped with the most bilateral border trade value of $478.69 million.

Myanmar’s exports to Thailand were primarily agriculture and livestock products, and imports from Thailand were mainly non-alcoholic beverages, fabric and yarn, motorcycles and related parts, and construction material. Thailand is Myanmar’s second- largest trade partner and third-largest foreign investor.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

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Sino-Myanmar Kanpaiti border post resumes operations in mid-December

Myanmar delivered 20 truckloads of tissue banana to China through Kanpaiti border post following the reopening of the border post, Kachin State Fruits and Vegetables Producers and Exporters Association stated. Kanpaiti border post, which has been shut down for over four months, was reopened on 15 December. Chinese authorities shut down all the Sino-Myanmar border posts amidst the COVID-19 impacts on 11 July. After a series of negotiation between Myanmar government and Chinese counterparts, the border post resumed its operation again.

Myanmar conveyed more than 20 truckloads of tissue banana to China, said U Gam Aung, secretary of the association. Myanmar exporters had to seek approval first from Kachin State government and then, they exported them to China as per instruction of the stategovernment, he continued. “Our company had requested Kachin State government to operate 20 trucks for cargo transport. Other respective companies also asked the government to grant permit for export. The government had given the go-ahead to seven out of 20 trucks so far,” he added.

Myanmar truck drivers and assistants have to take a rapid COVID-19 test twice at Washaung and Kanpaiti checkpoints as a mandatory. The driver substitution system is practised in China’s side, said a businessman. There is a short haul transport service in China. After they unload the goods, they return the trucks to Myanmar drivers. Myanmar drivers cannot enter China market at the moment, said an exporter. Myanmar primarily sent tissue banana to China via Kanpaiti, whereas the consumer goods, building materials and agricultural inputs are imported into the country. The initial agreement covers 500 trucks from Myanmar for Sino-Myanmar border trade via Kanpaiti posts.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

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Announcement on COVID-19 mutation surveillance process

Nay Pyi Taw
19-12-2021

Department of Public Health, Department of Medical Research, Department of Medical Services, National Health Laboratory under the Ministry of Health has been conducting “COVID-19 Molecular Surveillance” in collaboration with the Tatmadaw Medical Research Corps.

According to the process, people came back from the border checkpoints, by relief flights and from Thailand, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, India, Bangladesh and Malaysia through border checkpoints.

Of the returnees, 36 laboratory samples were taken from those who were infected with COVID-19 virus. The SARS-CoV-2 Variant Omicron’s Real Time PCR Test was performed on these samples at the National Health Laboratory under the Department of Medical Services of the Ministry of Health and found no SARS-CoV-2 Variant Omicron.

Ministry of Health

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Manufacturing sector attracts $75.6 mln in Oct-Nov

Majority of foreign enterprises eye the manufacturing sector for investments, pumping the estimated capital of US$75.6 million into eight projects in the past two months of the current mini-budget period, the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration stated. The manufacturing enterprises and businesses that need a large labour force are prioritized, Myanmar Investment Commission stated. At present, labour-intensive enterprises are facing financial hardship amid the COVID-19 negative impacts and the political changes.

Myanmar’s garment export drastically dropped on the back of slump in demand by European Union market in the previous months. Consequently, some CMP garment factories permanently and temporarily shut down and left thousands of workers unemployed. Nonetheless, the industry is returning to normal after the COVID-19 vaccination programme for the workers, as per the HIS Markit’s September report.

Myanmar’s manufacturing sector is largely concentrated in garment and textiles produced on the Cutting, Making, and Packaging basis, and it contributes to the country’s GDP to a certain extent. Myanmar has drawn foreign direct investment of more than $234.5 million from 13 enterprises during October-November period. The investments are flowing agriculture, livestock and fisheries, manufacturing, power, construction, transport and communications, hotels and tourism and other services sectors, including expansion of capital by existing enterprises and investments in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone, the DICA’s statistics indicated.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

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Muse border trade plunges by $896.4 mln as of 10 Dec

The value of trade between Myanmar and China via the Muse land border as of 10 December 2021 of the current mini-budget period (October 2021-March 2022) reflected a drastic drop of US$896.4 million as against the year-ago period owing to the border trade suspension, as per the Ministry of Commerce. The value of Muse border trade touched a low of US$197.37 million over the past month amid the COVID-19 impacts. The figures plummeted from $1.09 billion recorded in the year-ago period, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

As of 10 December, Myanmar’s exports to China through the Muse land border were valued at $193 million, while imports are worth $4 million. The trade showed a slump in both exports and imports compared to the corresponding period of last year. The border posts next to Muse are Nantaw, Sinphyu, Mang Wein, Kyinsankyawt-Wamting and Panseng-Wamting posts. Earlier, China shut down all the border posts amidst the COVID-19 negative consequences. At present, some border checkpoints are operating trade activities on a trial run. Myanmar can now convey the watermelon to China by Chinese trucks when they unloaded their goods in Myanmar.

However, quality is of vital importance as Chinese authorities will not allow the fruits of inferior quality for import, the Muse fruit commodity depot stated. Additionally, China’s new Customs Regulation and mandatory quarantine process posed some hurdles in the border market. Traders cannot expect trade facilitation according to the changes in China’s policy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Myanmar exports agricultural products, including rice, beans and corn, and fishery products such as crab, prawn, etc. Furthermore, Myanmar’s natural gas export to China is also conducted through the Muse-Ruili border. The raw CMP materials, electrical appliances and consumer goods are imported into the country.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

No (2) Kunlong Bridge constructed on MyanmarChina border trade route

The No 2 Kunlong Bridge is under construction marking China-Myanmar friendship over Thanlwin River along Lashio-Hsenwi-Kunlong-Chinshwehaw-China border trade road near Kunlong Township in Shan State (North) by China Yunnan Sunny Road Bridge Co., Ltd. The No 2 Kunlong Bridge is located about four miles upstream the No (1) Kunlong Bridge.

The two-lane 286 miles long Baland Cantilever Type Prestressed Concrete Box Girder bridge is 12 metres in width and it has a load capacity of 75 tonnes. Officials of the Bridge Department under the Ministry of Construction and China Embassy to Myanmar signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) to make a feasibility study (FS).

The Chinese ambassador and the Union Minister for Construction signed the statement to support the new Kunlong Bridge project and exchanged it in Nay Pyi Taw on 20 March 2018. According to the agreement, 25 Chinese engineers conducted the feasibility study in the project area between 22 March 2019 and 15 May 2019. The government has provided compensation to the owners of land, buildings and farms located in the project area using the allocated budget.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

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Promoting ASEAN-Japan Collaboration for Human Resource Development

Date: December 22nd (WED) 2021

Time: Jakarta Time (UTC+7) 13:00 – 14:00

Venue: Zoom Webinar

Registration

Register here
*Registration deadline: 1 day before the webinar date

Speakers

·         The Hon. FDr. Ar. Siti Rozaimeriyanty DSLJ Haji Abdul Rahman, Chair of ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC)

·       Ms. Ota Mineko, Director, Technical Cooperation Division, Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau, METI, Japan

·       Dr. Kojima Fumio, Guest Professor, Waseda University, Japan / Technical Expert, DENSO Corporation, Japan

·       Mr. Somwang Boon, Senior Advisor, Thai-German Institute, Thailand

Details:

In this webinar, key figures from ASEAN and Japan will share the latest activities of human resource development, especially in the fourth industrial revolution in Southeast Asia.

For opening remarks, The Hon. FDr. Ar. Siti Rozaimeriyanty DSLJ Haji Abdul Rahman, Chair of ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) will introduce concept and plan of legacy project entitled Harnessing Impact with Resilient Employability Digitally (H.I.R.E.D), and share expectation to Japan’s contribution in HRD.

Also, there will be panel discussion among key figures from ASEAN and Japan to discuss how ASEAN and Japan can collaborate more in the field of HRD, and what ASEAN can expect from Japan and how Japan should respond to it, and vice versa.

Webinar outline available here.

The tariff rate for 23 pharmaceutical lines will be reduced from the current tariff rate of 3% to zero from December 13, 2021 to March 31, 2022

According to the Customs Department, the tariff rate for 23 pharmaceutical raw materials will be reduced from the current 3% tariff rate to zero% from December 13, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Ministry of Planning and Finance Control It is a product that is really needed in the production of medical drugs and can be produced locally in large quantities.

In order to protect the production of domestic medicines and facilitate the easy purchase of local medicines, the tariff rate of 23 pharmaceutical raw materials in Chapter (29), Appendix 29 of Myanmar Customs List (2017) has been reduced from the current tariff rate of 3% to zero tariff from 13 December 2021 to 31 March 2022.

Therefore, the promulgation date for the effective date of the promulgation date of the promulgation date of the promulgation date is October 3, 2021 to March 31, 2022 20 March 2021 20 March 2021 to apply for the Customs Duty Exemption Code as the Customs Duty Exemption Code for COVID-19. If less / more is collected, the return and re-collection process will be contacted to the relevant divisions. MACCS Branch issued Notification No. (15/2021).

Source: Daily Eleven