The majority of foreign enterprises eye the manufacturing sector for investments, pumping the estimated capital of US$138.6 million into 25 projects in the past five months of the current mini-budget period (October 2021-March 2022), as per the statistics released by the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA). The manufacturing enterprises and businesses that need a large labour force are prioritized, according to the Myanmar Investment Commission.
At present, labour-intensive enterprises are facing financial hardships amid the COVID-19 negative impacts and political changes. Myanmar’s garment export drastically dropped on the back of a slump in demand by the 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 $530.77 million from 34 enterprises during the October-February period. The investments are flowing agriculture, livestock and fisheries, manufacturing, power, construction, transport and communication, hotel and tourism and other services sectors, including expansion of capital by existing enterprises, the DICA’s statistics indicated.
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar