Myanmar's Fertilizer Production Fal

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Myanmar's Fertilizer Production Falls in Six Months

Xinhua, Rangoon, 1 October 2000.Myanmar produced 72,330 tons of chemical 
fertilizer in the first
six months of this year, down6.9 percent compared with the same period of 
1999, according to the
latest figures of the country'sCentral Statistical Organization ( CSO).

During the six-month period, the country increased import of fertilizer, 
spending 28.16 million U.S.
dollars, to help meet the domestic demand. During the same period of last 
year it spent only 12.75
million dollars to import fertilizer.

The country has only three fertilizer plants, producing annually a total of 
about 130,000 tons of urea.

Myanmar needs over 800,000 tons of chemical fertilizer annually and its 
domestic production is far
from meeting the demand.

According to the CSO, the country has still to spend 34.7 million U.S. 
dollars of foreign exchange
annually to import fertilizer.

Fertilizer, along with pesticide, improved variety and machinery, is among 
agricultural implements on
which import duties are exempted by the government as part of its bid to 
promote agricultural
development.