The Voice (weekly) 2005

The Voice Vol. 2, No. 13 (December 26)

• Burmese honey will be exported to European countries as they offer more than China where the majority of honeys are exported from Burma. So far China offers about US$450 to 500 a tonne while the other countries offer about US$600 to 800. (December 17 news) 

• The ASEAN countries' governments, central banks and financial institutions will collaborate establishing Treasury bond market to assist in improving multilateral trades and appearing common currency unit in the region, according to the releases of the ASEAN business and investment meetings. Burmese officials and experts regularly participated in meetings, workshops and seminars held for establishment of the treasury bond market, a director from Myanma Stock Exchange Co., Ltd said. (December 14 news)     

• Trial growing for the competition on production rate of the variety of sesame is being done in Myinnmu Township in Sagaing Division as part of OPEC's oil crops development project. (December 13 news)

• Juu, a prominent writer who recently was chosen as UNICEF's one of Champion for Children, said in an interview that the champions for Children would perform as a messager of UNICEF for disseminating messages and facilities to the children.    

• As part of transferring border to normal trades between Burma and China the Chinese government's Bank of China was likely to provide transactional banking services by linking with Myanmar Economic Bank, an official from Market Information and Research Team said. Communications and services of the banks in both sides were crucial in normal trade, and the only comprehensible normal trade system would allow the country to collect taxes systematically, he said.  

The Voice Vol. 2, No. 12 (December 19)

• An assistant manager from Sunfar ticketing agency confirmed the plan of the Airasia, which is linking eight Asia countries, to operate flights to Burma though detail plan is still unknown. (December 15 news)

• Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation is establishing hydropower plants, which can generate 771.3 megawatts, in its nine dam projects in five states and divisions. (December 9 news)

• As a biggest project among worm vaccination projects that the Department of Health is conducting biannually, the department will distribute worm vaccination  to 7million people during December third week. (December 9 news)

• The first advertisements of the real estate market in Pyinmana are available in the Say Kwat journal's issue number 448. Previously most of the real estate market advertisements are for Rangoon, Mandalay and Pyin-Oo-Lwin. (December 8 news)

• Import of plastic raw material through Myawaddy border checkpoint drops since a couple of months ago and the importers are likely to use the sea trade for such commodity import. (December 6 news)      

• A Brief scenario of Hlaing Township fire outbreak can be viewed at the International Federation of Red Cross's website. It is made available online with the combine efforts of Myanmar Red Cross Society and IFRC. (December 6 news)

• About 2000 units of GSM mobile telephones had been leased in Taunggyi since November 21, an engineer from the state telecommunication office confirmed. (December 6 news)

• Department of Health is planning to produce two kinds testing tubes with Thai technology for examining the containment of bacteria in water. (December 6 news)

• As a result of new harvest rice entering into the Bayintnaung wholesale market continuously the new harvest rice prices drop close to the price of broken rice, which is about K6,100 per bag. (December 5 news) 

• Care Myanmar is distributing 0.1million units of condoms for free in Pyay Township. It is also conducting there training and educational campaigns for combating HIV/AIDS disease since 2003. (December 4 news)

• Under Japan's grassroots grant assistance program the Japanese government will donate more than US$80,000 to newly built central women hospital in Mandalay. (December 2 news)

• Hotels occupancy rate in Pyay Township, the main business town of Bago Division, drops about 50 per cent since early 2005 due to the fewer visitors. (December 2 news)

• Ministry of Industry No.(1) would issue acknowledgement certificates for those businesses that were providing CNG conversion services when their services were found satisfactory.   

The Voice Vol. 2, No. 10 (December 5)

• The Asia World Port Management Co., Ltd opened its No (3) port in Ahlone Township. The port is constructed in collaboration with Myanma Port Authority and construction of No (4) port will be completed in 2006. (November 26 news) 

• Saudi Arabia agreed in principle with Burma to import freshwater carps as many as possible. Though the export price and local market price were not that different mass export would benefit the local businesses, an official from the Myanmar Fisheries Federation said. (November 26 news)

• Rangoon based American Embassy provided mini fluorescent and spot light equipment, which can examine feign transportation letters and visas, to the seven airlines that operate their flights to US. (November 25 news)

• More Chinese commodities are entering into the Mingalar wholesale market while there are fewer entries of Thailand commodities. (November 25 news)

• The Ministry of Commerce planned to hold workshop on onion export in late November in which experts would present papers on status of the country's onion export and onion growing, and production of value added crops, a ministry's official said. (November 25 news)     

• The European Union would provide Euro 40 millions to Burma for education and health sectors development, said Mr Andrew Jacob from EU's Bangkok-based commission. EU is providing humanitarian assistance to Burma and latest assistance provided last December accounted Euro 11.65 millions. (November 22 news)

• A FAO's consultant visits Burma from November 28 to December 20 to implement a project that will enhance the safety of foods in the country. (November 22 news) 

• Construction materials including steels and cements were allowed to import via border checkpoint to supply for the warehouse construction in Muse 105-mile business zone. (November 14 news) 

• Under the bilateral agreement with Israel Myanmar Agricultural Produce Trading will send its staff 25-day training to Israel in 2006. (November 7 news) 

• Moving of the country's administrative seat to Pyinmana has resulted the new city in many development and changes. Though there is no tourists staying at the Pyinman's one and the best hotel, Zarmani Hotel, it is teemed with local visitors.   

The Voice Vol. 2, No. 9 (November 28)

• UNICEF chose five Burmese celebrities as Champion for Children on November 19. The champions will strive for the raising public awareness on children's rights on education and health issues. (November 19 news)

• Myanmar Hoteliers Association and Myanmar Red Cross Society will jointly open one-week first aid training at the Ngwe Saung Beach during the second week of December. (November 19 news)

• Rapid decline of the gold price has greatly incurred the wholesale gold traders, who deal about 40 to 50 visses of gold, at a loss of K60 to K70 millions. (November 19 news) 

• Myanmar Computer Federation will continuously launch IT caravans, which include seminars and practical usage of ICT, in Bago, Mandalay, Magwe and Sagaing divisions in late November. (November 19 news)

• Vehicle prices are declining continuously and some super saloon luxury vehicles with numberplates -1A, 2A and 3A are being traded under K20 millions. Previously they were sold above K20 millions. (November 19 news)

• Ministry of Mine will hold gems emporium from December 11 to 15 in which low-grade jades will be sold with tender system. Local gem traders who have export earning can also join the emporium. (November 19 news) 

• The slightly declined drugs export has resulted in cooling the trade down at Mingalar Market. The declined export is due to the government announcements that banned trading of unregistered drugs. (November 18 news)

• Branded purified water bottles are refilled with unhealthy water and are resold at some shops in railway stations and highway bus stations. (November 16 news)

• A public access centre that allows public to access Internet and other ICT facilities will be open in Monywa on November 24. More public access centres will also be open in other major cities. (November 17 news) 

• The gems mining proposals will be permitted only to the companies that have offices in Rangoon. (November 14 news)  

• More than 70 one-acre land plots in Muse 105^th mile economic zone have been sold so far and authorities are urging owners to build warehouses as soon as possible.

The Voice Vol. 2, No. 8 (November 21)

• Brokers in Bayintnaunt market are cheating customers who don't know the term- made in PRC- engraved in vehicles tyres by telling them the tyres are jointly produced by Paris, Russia and China. PRC stands for People Republic of China and most Burmese considered Chinese products as cheaper ones than the products of other countries. (November 13 news)

• Thailand fabrics begin pouring in to the Mingalar wholesale market. (November 12 news) 

• Film directors Khin Maung Oo and Soe Thein Htut will film Burma's first novel, Maung Yin Maung and Ma Mei Ma, written by James Hla Kyaw. The novel formerly was included as a school subject for Grade 11 students. (November 12 news) 

• The Trade Council will hold its regular meeting by linking Rangoon and Pyinmana with online and facsimile systems to facilitate the export/import procedures, the Minister for Commerce, Brigadier-General Tin Naing Thein, said at a meeting held on November 11. (November 11 news)

• The Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Brid-Gen Maung Maung Thein said some locals offered one and one and half dollars respectively for the 500 grams and 800 grams tilapia. The Minister also suggested that instead of exporting the raw of edible oil producing crops their valued added products such as groundnut and sesame oil only. (November 11 news)   

• A bio-fuel technology training centre will be open in Thailand to help support the oil demand problems among ACEMECS countries. (November 9 news)

• More saltwater shrimp farms are developed in A-Mar township in Pyapon District. In Previous years shrimps are bred naturally and now a local businessman is developing 3000 acres for shrimp farming in the Pyapon. (News 8 news)

• Myanma Salt and Marine Chemical Enterprise is inviting tenders for its dried salt 4000 tonnes from setse salt producing farm in Mon State. (November 5 news)

The Voice Vol. 2, No. 7 (November 14)

• The Myanma Perennial Crop Enterprise has successfully experimented the production of bio-diesel from crude palm oil. (November 4 news)

• Two experts from US-based Wildlife Conservation Society will conduct a five-day training on prevention of illegal elephant slaughtering for the forestry staff in Hmawbi Township. The training will begin from November 7. (November 4 news)

• About 70 Burmese gems and jewellery companies are planning to apply licences for participating in the gems emporium to be held in New Delhi in November. (November 4 news)

• A Chinese company from Guangdong Province is offering to buy the seven million metric tonnes of King Banana from Burma. (November 4 news)

• Bangladesh imported US$ 0.0044 millions worth Burmese Loun-gyis (male outfits) during October. Meanwhile Burma exported US$ 0.0067 million worth salted crabs 23.68 tonnes to Thailand in October. (November 4 news)   

• The local transportation businesses resume their services for the commodities that are exported from China to Bangladesh and India via Burma. (November 4 news)

• Burma exported more than US$0.318 million worth plums via sea trade in 2004-2005 fiscal year. (October 26 news)

• China and Malaysia were offering US$320 per metric tonne for the Mya-sein-yaing paddy, cultivated in Burma since 2004 on trial basic, a senior official from the Myanma Agricultural and Produce Trading said. (October 25 news)

• The government's rice mills will accept the broken rice for the charges of milling the paddy at its mills in an attempt to increase exporting the broken rice. (October 18 news)

The Voice  Vol. 2, No. 6 (November 7)

• Ban on selling single cigarettes will be included in the Tobacco and Tobacoo Products Control Law, which is soon to be enacted in Burma. The Law is likely to be effective in 2006. (October 28 news)

• An official from the Brazilian Colombo International Co., Ltd that manufactures agricultural equipment will visit Burma early November to study the country's beans and pulses market, and business opportunities. (October 28 news)

• The stocks of mung bean (Matpe) in Bayinanung commodity warehouses have run out due to the swelling demand from India during this year. (October 28 news)     

• Congestion on the buses are lessening due to the transportation services of the ferry-vehicles provided by the factories and private companies for their staff. (October 27 news)     

• The Department of Health and French Aide Medical International have signed a memorandum of understanding on October 27 to expand the HIV/AIDS prevention activities in three Rangoon townships. (October 27 news)

• The demand of Ayeyarwaddy delta region for the foodstuff distributed from Nyaung-pin-lay market is increasing. Though the prices of the some commodities have changed since October first week the demand still increases. (October 27 news)

• The private palm-oil cultivating company, Yuzana, is offering more than 2000 vacancies to work in its palm-oil farms in Kawthaung, Tanintharyi Division. (October 27 news)    

• The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries will sell fuel to help solve the problems of its business partners. The businesses can buy fuel with US$2.5 a gallon. (October 26 news)

• Total of about 46 tonnes of plum-jam and dried plum that worth more than US$12,000 exported to Bangladesh within a week. (October 25 news)  

• Alabaster Buddha images weighing more than 40 tonnes exported to China via Muse border checkpoint during third week of October. (October 24 news)  

The Voice Vol. 2, No. 5 (October 31)

• The first auctioning of the administrative committee for nationalised properties held on October 21 did not include auctioning of more than 15,000 unregistered vehicles, DG of Myanmar Police Force, Brid-Gen Khin Yi said. (October 23 news)   

• China would encourage its companies to invest more in Burma, the Chinese vice-president Mr Zeng Quinghong was quoted as saying. The vice president said China would collaborate with Burma in tackling many challenges. (October 22 news)

• The bilateral tariff reduction for 209 commodities between Burma and Philippines takes effect under the early harvest programme of establishing the ASEAN-China free trade area, a Ministry of Commerce's official said. (October 21 news)

• The collective renting of the apartments in downtown and nearby areas is likely to be enlarged as a result of surging bus-fares. (October 21 news)     

• The Myanma Agricultural Produce Trading will organise the second seminar for mango export at the end of October. The first seminar was held in January. (October 20 news)

• Commodity flow is normal in Nyaung Pin Lay market despite the price changes of the goods, which is because of the increases of the transportation charges. ( October 19 news)

• Two eight-member groups from Belgium and US will conduct a bicycling tour from Mandalay to Bagan in December. (October 19 news)

• The demand of Burma products by Thailand side increases due to changes of the exchange rates in border trade. (October 19 news)    

• The Border Development Association (Burma) that is providing social assistance to the ethnic groups along border areas will spend about US$3500 to hold a seminar that will be participated by the international NGOs. (October 19 news)

• Prices of the raw material for the slippers are increased significantly and as a result some small-scale slipper businesses stopped their operation. (October 15 news) 

• The cultivation of the raining season crops in 130,000 acres is completing in five areas including Rangoon. The cultivation is expected to produce US$2 millions worth crops and vegetables. (October 13 news)

• Burma will consider inviting foreign investment with contract farming system if local entrepreneurs fail to invest in the newly brought out cultivating lands. China is interested in cultivating rubber while Thailand is also interested in contract farming. (October 7 news)

The Voice Vol. 2, No. 4 (Oct 24)

• Nepal's national carrier Cosmic Air will begin its maiden flight to Rangoon from its capital Khatamadu on October 30. The aviation sources said the direct flight was operated because of the potential of many Burmese visitors to the birthplace of Buddha Goddhama in Lumbini garden in Nepal. (Oct 13 news)

• Burma Industrial Development Committee and Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand are discussing ways to jointly establish the industrial and economic zones in areas between Myawaddy and Thingan-nyi-naung, Hpa-An, and Mawlamyine as part of ACMECS. (Oct 12 news)

• Burma Rice Traders Association in Mandalay will open 20 retail shops that will sell the rice in fixed-price of K320 per 1/16 of a basket. Rice sold at those shops were about K100 cheaper than market price, a buyer said. (Oct 12 news)

• The Ministry of Commerce's Market Information and Research Team-MIRT said export of sesame to China with normal trade system through Muse border checkpoint was allowed since late September. (Oct 9 news)

• Six companies had invested about K1000 millions in two special zones for onion cultivation in central Burma. (Oct 7 news)

• Sales of areca cut and jaggery were increased in Burma and India's border checkpoints, MIRT said. More than 130 tonnes of areca cut were exported to India from September 18 to October and over 43 tonnes of jaggery were exported since mid-September. (Oct 13 news)

• Burma's varieties of fish are having higher demand in the market of China's Yunnan Province. (Oct 13 news)

• Thailand has proposed to establish the agricultural-based industrial zones in Tachileik, Myawaddy, Mawlamyine and Hpa-An. (Oct 14 news)
  
  
  

The Voice Vol. 2, No. 1 (3/10/05)

• Export cargo containers have to be sent to the ports for custom inspection three days ahead of loading day, said a shipping executive.

• A local IT company named Ahead Company has signed an agreement with H.K based SS8 Networks Inc to provide Internet security service, if the local Burmese company gets permission to work as Internet Service Provider in the country.

• There are over 900 Burmese staff in the hotel industry in middle east countries, said the principal of a hotel service training centre. Due to skilled hotel workers flight abroad, there could be skilled workers shortage in the local hotel industry, said the principal.

• Private sector's co-operations are needed to implement the government's strategy to expand rubber plantations to reach 1.5 million areas in 2031, said an official from government's perennial crop enterprise. Burma's current rubber plantation coverage is 500,000 acres and production is at 50,000 tons annually. Agriculture experts warn that plantation owners should carefully select the species of rubber, which might suit to local geography, otherwise financial losses could be big in the long run. .   

• Land survey teams from the government's MAPT (Myanmar Agriculture Products Trading) are making sure that the newly reclaimed lands by private companies for growing exportable crops are not previously owned by private farmers and they are not in the protected forests areas, said an official from MAPT.

• Onion exports by private companies fetched good prices, said an official from MAPT. There are five private companies exporting onions from Burma with US$ 210 per ton.  Pyi Phyo Aung company, together with other two affiliates exported 1648 tons under the name of Co-operative Export Enterprise, Toe Tet Linn exported 669 tons, Diamond Star Company exported 724 tons and Maha Brothers Company exported 100tons. Burma exported a total of 15898 tons of onions this year and fetched over US$ 30 millions and there are still 7700 tons remaining to export, said the official.

• Authorities are conducting regular and random checks on the pharmaceutical wholesale markets, whether they comply with the regulations of selling only registered medicines, said the chairman of pharmaceutical merchants association.

• Land plot prices in Pyinmana have declined sharply after reaching record high in previous months. Land prices started to jump high three months ago after the rumours of big investors from Rangoon are planning to make land purchases in Pyinmana. No big purchases were accumulated and prices began to fall.

The Voice Vol. 1, No. 52 (26/9/2005)

• Airlines to expand flights to/in Burma. Singapore's Silk Air will increase its flights to Rangoon from current 12 flights per week to 14 flights per week. Domestic carrier Air Mandalay will expand its domestic flights from Rangoon to Mandalay, Bagan, Heho and Thandwe starting from 1^st October.  Another Thailand based airline will fly Bangkok/Maedod/Moulmein route in the near future, said the travel industry sources.

• Chinese investors and merchants made advanced payments for the rubber, that will be yielded from rubber plantations in northern Burma's Kachin State and Shan State. Futures buying of rubber from China are making many locals in the regions to be interested in establishing rubber plantations.

• Agriculture product exporters are required to obtain approval from MAPT for their exports, in the process of applying for export licences. Currently, MAPT is conducting quantity inspections on the export licence applications.

• Myanmar Tourism Association has recently received from the government the permission to install 10 auto telephones and the telephone lines will be resold to the association's members.

• Residual insecticides are use on the vegetables at the wholesales market in Rangoon, said an eyewitness, who saw the sprayings of dangerous insecticides on cabbages and cauliflower at the market.  

• PSI to distribute copies of sexual educational book named 'adolescent pregnancy'. The books will be distributed through 600 Sun Quality Clinics.

• Drugstores all over the country are instructed to sell only the drugs that are registered with FDA, said the chairman of pharmaceutical merchants association. There are 189 registered pharmaceutical importers in Burma, importing 7840 various drugs and pharmaceutical products

The Voice Vol. 1, No. 51 (19/9/2005)

• There will be over 100,000 computer owners within the next 2 years and they are from the families who earn over kyats 300,000 per month, said a report from Myanmar Marketing Research and Development Co., at a seminar at ICT park on 8^th September. According to the research conducted on 45000 families in Rangoon and Mandalay which are using computers, there are 7000 families which earn less than kyats 100,000 per month. There are 16000 families that earn between kyats 100,000 and kyats 300,000 per month and 22000 families earn over 300,000 kyats.  84 % of computer owners are in Rangoon and Mandalay and only 16% are from urban areas. The use of computers in rural areas is non-existence. 

• Burmese government's Health Department to undertake a five-year 'adolescent health project' with assistance from WHO. The Health Department will set up 'adolescent friendly service' nation-wide and will provide health information for the youth.

• German-Myanmar Friendship Group sets up free computer training and sewing classes in western Burma's Ngapali Beach. The Group gives sewing machines to those trainees who completed a one-year training program. About 100 locals from nearby villages could attend the training, said a staff from the group. The Group also donates medical equipment and medicines to the Thantwe Township hospital.

• Burma's border trades with neighbouring countries have been increasing steadily since the beginning of this fiscal year in April, said a senior official from the ministry of commerce.  Burma's border trades in April, June and July were US$ 57.53 mil, 63.57 and 66.03 respectively. By turning border trade into normal trade, Burma's exports of pulses and beans, marine products and forestry products are increasing, said the official.       

• Burmese eels are getting good prices at China border, as eel farms in China are facing outbreaks of an eel disease.

• Businesses at the pulses and beans wholesales markets are declining, as there is a ban on trading on credit at the markets.

• There is a ban on excavation and extraction of sands from Burma's coastal shores to protect the environment, said an officer from the fisheries department. There have been frequent proposals from Thailand and Malaysia to extract sands and conduct mining activities on Burmese shores, the officer said.

• Driver licences will not be issued to those who do not complete the official driving courses, said a senior traffic police officer. Most of the drivers in Burma learn their driving from relatives or friends, without attending proper driving courses. The traffic police department is teaching traffic education courses at the government schools, added the officer. 

• The roads in Rangoon are being upgraded and there will be fewer damages in next monsoon season, said an official from YCDC.

The Voice Vol. 1, No. 50 (12/9/2005)

• Canada based Teleglobe and Burma's private owned Ahead Co., signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement to establish an Internet Service Provider service in Burma. Another ISP in Burma is the Bagan Cybertech, which is in co-operation with Thailand's Shin Satellite Co.

•  Burma to form a national Ozone Layer conservation group, said an official from the National Commission on Environmental Affairs.

• All the laboratories under the ministry of health are trying to obtain ISO certificates, said an official from the ministry of health. The FDA lab under the ministry is issuing health certificates to the foods produce in Burma. The move is in accordance with the AFTA scheme.

• Fresh water cultured fish and some marine fish from Burma fetch good prices in China and Thailand, said an exporter. Due to the increased exports of fish by border trades, fish arrival at local markets have declined and local prices are rising.

• Shrimp prices drop due to increased supply at Rangoon wholesales market.

• Burma to form Myanmar Tourist Guide Association and will try to become member in Asian Tourism Assocition and Australia based World Tourism Federation Association.

• Burma's per capita consumption of meat and egg has increased, according to the records at the ministry of livestock and fisheries. Burma's per capital consumption of meat in 2004-2005, when the population is at 54 millions, is meat 17 kilograms, fish 36 kilos, milk 17 kilos and 69 eggs. Productions in 2004-05 were meat 0.91 million tons, milk 0.9 mil tons and eggs 3.7 billions. It is estimated that Burma's population will reach 61.1 mil in 2010-2011, production projections for that year are meat .99 mil tons, milk .97 mil tons and 5.4 billion eggs.

• Land plot selling prices in Pagan are getting higher due to purchases from tour and travel companies. A 40 feet by 60 feet land plot in downtown Nyaung Oo near Pagan costs kyats 100 million. (approx: US$ 1 mil).

• 80% of exports to China by border trade are marine products, said the minister for livestock and fisheries at a weekly regular meeting with the Fisheries Federation. Marine products worth US$ 8 millions were exported to China between June and the second week of August, said the minister. The weekly regular meeting between the minister and the Fisheries Federation is held every Tuesday since 6^th June.

• New reference books for postgraduate studies have arrived at the BC Library.

The Voice Vol. 1, No. 49 (5/9/2005)

• Russia is interested in buying marine products from Burma. A Russian trade delegation has made 3 visits to Burma's fishery department. Burma's minister for livestock and fisheries will visit Russia soon to study Russia's marine products market.

• A Burmese photographer named Phone Myat Htoo made a solo photo show in Rangoon's Grand Plaza Park Royal Hotel on 27^th and 28^th August. He studied photography in the UK's Kingston College and Thames Valley University.

• Positive test results of Hepatitis C virus among blood donors in the national blood bank have declined this year, from 3% in 2003 to 1% in this year. Testing Hepatitis C virus costs kyats 5000 per person and tests have been carried out with the aid from JICA and Japanese Grass Root Grant Assistance. Hepatitis C virus infection among the general public can not be estimated, said a doctor from the blood bank. 

• Container freight charges are not going to rise in Burma, although the world's fuel costs have been getting higher. There have been speculations among businessmen in Burma that the freight charges will be higher soon. A shipping executive said currently there are fewer outbound cargoes from Burma and they are even considering reducing their freight charges.

• Marine product exports from Burma are returning normal volumes, after months of decline, the industry sources said. Burma's marine product exports have declined since the Asian Tsunami.

• Out of five species of marine turtles in Burma, two species are facing the dangers of extinction, said an officer from fisheries department.
  
  
  
  

The Voice Vol 1, No. 48, Aug 29

• The UN sponsored World Summit 2005 will be held in New York from September 14^th to 16^th. Leaders from 170 countries will attend the Summit. The Summit will discuss the issues of development, security, basic human rights and UN reforms, said an announcement from the UN.

• Burmese martial art called 'Bando' has been spreading quickly in the US and other countries.

• Singapore Burmese Embassy posted a notice in the embassy's notice board, saying that Burmese citizens in Singapore can apply for import licences if they make remittance to the government banks in Rangoon.

• Burmese citizens applying passports for foreign visits will have to take queue tokens and wait for their turn to submit their applications. Previously, short visit passport applications were easier than job passport applications.

• PSI is distributing HIV/AIDS educational cartoon books for highway drivers. 

• Burma can declare free from Iodine Deficiency Disease in end of 2005, said a health official. The government has ordered all the 123 salt factories to insert Iodine in their salt. UNICEF is providing Potassium Iodide to the salt factories. 
  
  
  
  

The Voice Vol. 1, No. 47 (22/8/2005)

• Burma is gaining from Thai-Burma trade, which has been on the rise since 2003. Burma's trade surplus on trade with Thailand in 2004 was Bahts 30 billion, said the news from Thailand. Bilateral trade between the two countries in 2004 were Bahts 68 billion, in which Burma's exports were recorded at Bahts 49 billion and imports were only 19 billion. Trades between the two countries in 2003 were only bahts 58 billion. Thailand bought bahts 44 billion (approx: US$ 1.1 billion) worth of energy raw materials (natural gas) from Burma in 2004. During the first 5 months of 2005, Thailand's exports to Burma were Bahts 10 billion and imports from Burma were 24 billions.

• Zay Cho Shopping Mall in downtown Mandalay, built with French design, will be opened before the end of the Buddhist lent in October.

• A Burmese athlete named Moe Thu Aung is being train in Australia to compete in swimming in the 23rd Sea Games, which will be held in Manila in November. He is being train by world's No. 1 trainer from the United States and his monthly training expenses are about US$ 1000, which is being paid by the Burma's Swimming Federation. Moe Thu Aung won gold medal in 21^st Sea Games and lost his gold in 22^nd Sea Games.

• Big rats are seen roaming in the cinema halls in Rangoon, causing problems for the moviegoers, said the frequent moviegoers. During the shows, the rats would run over the feet of the audience and some people even lost their slippers to the rats. Rats are dangerous and they can carry diseases, said a public health worker.

• Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Bridge Asia Japan (BAJ) are digging artesian water wells in central Burma dry regions to fulfil the needs for drinking waters. JICA has dug 155 artesian wells and BAJ has dug 72 wells up to 2005. There are 8042 villages in central Burma and 15183 villages in the other states and divisions, a total of 23225 villages are in need of clean drinking waters, said a report from JICA.

• Burma's Myanmar Engineering Society is planning to distribute leaflets on how to prevent disasters from earthquakes.

• Government's Myanmar Movie Enterprise will provide assistance to foreign movie makers, who want to make films in Burma. Foreign movie makers are allow to take shots in areas permitted by the government and a liaison officer from MME will be attached to the shooting team to give necessary assistance. The films make in the country would not be censored, said a director from MME.  

• Tomato trading posts in Inlay Lake are facing labour shortages and they have to hire labourers from central Burma.

• Burma's sesame exports are 50,000 tons annually and Burma earns about kyats 200 million from sesame exports, said an official from the government's Myanmar Agriculture Enterprise. Burma's annual production is over 500,000 tons.

• Per capita beans consumption in Burma is about 28 lbs, said a research paper presented at a workshop held on 12^th August to promote pulses and beans exports.

• Pulses and beans production in Burma is increasing but export volume is declining and export values are also declining, said the Chairman of the Burma's pulses and beans exporters association, at the workshop to promote pulses and beans exports.

• Private companies, which have applied licenses for pulses and beans exports, required to undergoing inspections from the government. Inspection teams from the ministry of commerce are checking the private sector warehouses on their actual stocks.

• UN office for Project Services (UNOPS), under the UNDP, is implementing the US$ 4.56 million Community Development for Remote Townships-CDRT project in 2005, said an announcement from the UNDP. The project form Self Reliance Groups SRG in remote villages and help promote agriculture, animals breeding and other development works

The Voice 15/8/2005~19/8/2005

• The government has said that the foreign exchanges remitted to the governments MFTB and MICB banks, including the FE earned by overseas foreign workers and seamen, after paying 10% tax, will be recognised as export earnings and will be allowed to use for imports. The minister for finance and revenue made the announcement at a meeting on 5^th Aug between the authorities and businessmen at the ministry of commerce. The minister said earnings of the hotels, tourism businesses, CMP garment factories and house rentals will be recognised as export earnings and will be allowed to make account transfer for imports.  

• US $ 700 million will be invested in the Special Industrial Zone in Thilawa near Rangoon, after all the infrastructure construction works are completed, said the DG of Housing Department. Thilawa Special Industrial Zone will become Burma's first free trade zone, which will install 'One Stop Services'. The Zone will be implemented between 2006 and 2020.

• Construction works for Burma-Bangladesh Highway to being after the monsoon season in 2005. The highway will link Burma's Taung Pyo and Bangladesh's Ukhia towns.

• Burma agreed to a five countries one-visa system, similar to Schengen Visa, among Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

• Computer prices rose 10-20% in the market but sales have been slow, said the market sources.

• Due to the nearly regular electric power supplies in Rangoon these days, the factories in Rangoon industrial zones are busy with their businesses and there have been even raw material shortages in some factories, said the industrial zones sources.

• USIS has increased its opening days from five days per week to six days per week and also the library membership fees have been increased to kyats 2000 from previous kyats 500. There are about 8000 active members in USIS library. USIS offers free Internet access for journalists.

• US$ 11 million will be needed for agriculture mechanisation projects in Burma, according to the survey report joint prepared by ministry of agriculture, FAO and UNDP. Agro-industry mechanisation process includes assistance in policy study and changes, reforms on SEEs, private sector commercial activities and agri-based industrial developments.

• A private company named Kyaw Thu and Associates is organising courses on Direct Attention Thinking, aimed for Burmese business executives and managers.

• Passport Section has denied rumours of passport issuance will be suspended for three months starting from 1^st August. The passport section claimed earlier this year that passports will be issued within a week from its application date.

• JICA donated US£$ 50,000 worth of surveying equipment to ministry of forestry, to be used in its central dry zone greening and reforestation projects.

• People need not be in panic due to the report of possible major earthquakes in Burma because earthquakes can not be predicted, said the veteran weatherman U Tun Lwin.  The Nations newspaper reported on 26^th July, quoting leading quake scientists in Thailand that central Burma is located on quake fault lines and there will soon be major earthquakes in Burma.

• A Japanese NGO named Save the Life has donated 140 Yabokita Tea plants to the government agriculture enterprise. Yabokita Tea is expensive and can be used as poppy substitution crop.

The Voice 11/7/2005

• Only import licences for CNG vehicles will be issued to the importers with export earnings, the directorate of trade's deputy director general said. Imports of diesel vehicles will be allowed only for the heavy equipment, he added.

• Air Bagan to include business class in its local flights, said a manager from the airline. A new Fokker F-100 has arrived for the airline on 1st July.

• MAI (Myanmar Airways International) is checking its passengers to Bangkok for US$ 500 show money at Rangoon airport upon checking in.

• Burma-Japan Centre Library opens at Rangoon's Institute of Economics compound since March. Only students from the institute are allowed to use the facility now and the general public will also be allowed to use the library soon, said an official from the Japanese Embassy.

• Private owned Premier Coffee Co., Ltd from Burma to export monthly 30 tons of raw coffee to China's Kumming Land Trading. The MoU was signed at the recently held Kumming Trade Fair 2005.

• A South Korean firm has proposed Burma's cotton & sericulture enterprise for purchase of dried silk worm. The Korean firm has proposed to provide technical assistance for productions of quality silk worms in Burma.   

• Private sector exported US$ 400,000 worth of honey in 2004-05 financial year, said the statistics from government's bee enterprise. Bee breeders in Burma keep European bees in Kachin, Kayah, Shan, Sagaine, Mandalay, Pegu, Magwe & Rangoon states and divisions. Honeys from Burma are being exported to Singapore, Korea and Malaysia.

• Burma has the highest malaria cases in southeast Asia, said Dr. Thar Tun Kyaw of Burma's anti-malaria team, at a news briefing at the UNICEF in Rangoon. There are 284 townships in the country affected by malaria and 100 townships have received free medical assistance such as blood checks, free medications, distribution of medicated mosquito nets and the pills for medicating mosquito nets. Current diagnostic method is only by observing the symptoms of the patients, and for effective fight against the disease, blood tests are required in wide areas, for proper diagnosis and for accessing the true situation of the spread of the disease, said the doctor.

• The sales of mosquito coils have doubled in Rangoon, where dengue fever is on the rise, said market sources.

• Burmese wooden sculptures are selling well in foreign markets and there are more orders for exports, said a member of the Burmese sculptors association.  The ministry of forestry is selling raw material woods for carving sculptures for exports, with foreign currency.

• Air Bagan is planning to fly to foreign destinations, such as Bangkok, Singapore, India, Nepal, Malaysia and Japan, said the airline executive.

• Sesame prices are declining after the export licence situation is not as easy as expected by the exporters, said the market sources. The government said in June that sesame seeds will be allowed for exports and prices of sesame had risen after the news.

• Australian Eucalyptus tress will be planted in Burma commercially. The Australian Eucalyptus wood is said to be good for producing furniture and plywood. A private company is introducing the tree plants to Burma for setting up wide scale plantations in the country.    

• Used car prices have risen in the first week of July.

• A seven-member delegation from Burma Red Cross Society was on a weeklong tour to Laos and Thailand to study HIV/AIDS prevention activities, and arrived back on 27^th June. They are on UN AIDS's FHAM assistance programme.

• Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India is inviting Burmese students through the UMFCCI, to join the school's international education co-operation programmes.

• Myanmar Institute of Theology has started opening courses for Doctors of Ministers, in collaboration with the Philippines Theological Science.

• Cargo transports to upper Burma from Rangoon have declined to half this monsoon season compared to previous years, said the Bayint Naung wholesales market sources.

• Onion prices declining.

• The government is planning to investigate the recent financial frauds in Burma, said the UMFCCI source. 

• Blue swimming crabs from Burma popular with foreign buyers, said the marine products market sources.

• European Union to give US$ 40 million, of which the UK is to give pounds 7.5 million aid annually to Burma as humanitarian assistance, said the British Ambassador Vicky Bowman to the Voice Weekly. The Ambassador said the British assistance will be managed by DFID and distributed to Int'l NGOs, which have signed MoU with the Burmese government. The funds are being managed by the respective EU countries, explained the Ambassador. The financial aid will be distributed to Int'l NGOs, which are involved in health, education and poverty alleviation projects, explained the Ambassador. To co-ordinate the funds and the projects, ECHO has proposed to open an office in Rangoon.   

• A lake in Rangoon's Zoo has been opened for game fishing. No fee has been charged currently.

• Some big exporters of marine products have to stop exporting fishes, due to low availability of fishes in the local markets. There have been low arrivals of fishes in the local markets, due to low catches and high production costs.

• Electricity power supplies become regular in Rangoon since the end of June, after acute power shortages in the recent months. 

• A private company in Burma has exported 130 numbers of Star Tortoises to Japan, at the price of US$ 150 per tortoise. Irrawaddy Trading Company, a joint venture company with the ministry of forestry, bred the Star Tortoises, which are considered endangered species in the world.

The Voice 4/7/2005

• An Australian company named Instar Myanmar has entered into a joint venture with Burma's ministry of fisheries for a marine fish hatchery project being implemented in Burma coastal region. The company is planning to produce Sea Bass and Grouper fingerlings.

• Korean's Hyundai and Multigate companies have signed agreements with the Burma's Maritime University to employ Burmese seamen graduated from the university. 40 students from the maritime university will have the chance to join Korean vessels for sea training during their study and after their graduation.

• Used car market in Burma does not have much time left for reform, said the article about used car market in Burma, where car prices have been escalating since 1997. Burma will have to comply with AFTA scheme and cars are included in the CEPT scheme. Burma's high used car prices have only 2 years to remain high, due to unseen good prospects for changes, said the article.

• 45 private companies have grown; 6000 acres of paddy, 4000 acres of sesame, 1700 acres of Sugar Cane, 900 acres of peanuts and 900 acres of mung beans in 2005/06 fiscal year, said an official from MAPT, citing official statistics. The private companies grow paddy in Rangoon, Pegu and Delta divisions and other crops are grown in central Burma Magwe division.

• Shallow waterways on the Irrawaddy River in central Burma have caused cargo vessels stranded in ports and waiting for the monsoon rain. Vessels with deep draft are currently finding it difficult to manoeuvre in the Irrawaddy River. Normally, it takes 10 days to sail from Rangoon to Mandalay, but due to the narrow channels and shallow waters, it take now take 15 days to travel by waterways from Rangoon to Mandalay. The costs of goods transport by waterways on the Irrawaddy are not cheaper than road transports anymore, but the advantage is that waterway transports can carry big quantity at a time, explained a cement trader.

• The drafting of intellectual property and trademark law will be completed in the end of this year and businessmen can prepare to register their trademarks, said a legal expert who involves in the drafting of the trade mark law. 

• The sesame plantings by private companies are mostly in central Burma Magwe Division, said the deputy general manager of MAPT. There are over 4000 acres of newly reclaimed land in Magwe for sesame plantings. 8 private companies such as Asia World, Olympic and Shwe Family are growing sesame on over 900 acres of old farm lands and another 8 companies including Pyi Phyo Aung, Toe Tet Linn, New Golden Gate, National Development Company are growing sesame on 1000 acres of newly reclaimed lands. Two local companies from the division named Do Yar Myay and Pyi Thar Yar companies are also cultivating sesame on 2000 acres of newly reclaimed lands with the permissions from the local authorities. MAPT and Shwe Padethar are also growing sesame on 60 acres of land in Mandalay division. Early in June, the government announced that sesame seeds exports will be re-allowed and Htoo Trading was the first to export sesame seeds to Japan with US$ 1070 per ton.  

• Animal breeding and husbandry department has distributed over kyats 100 millions to 8 townships in Chin State for Mythun breeding. The Mythun population in Chin state has increased to 40,000 this year, compared to 30,000 last year.

• The Fisheries Bank will issue loans to the private businesses for construction of cold stores at the China- Burma border and for the imports of refrigerated trucks. Each exporting company will receive maximum kyats 500 lakhs provided they submit enough collateral. 70% of Burma's marine product exports go to China by border trade.

• Children in some townships receive medical check-ups for dengue fever in the local ward authority offices.  Dengue fever cases on the rise in Burma, said a health worker.

• Locally produced instant coffee mix brands face strong competition from imported brands such as Nescafe. There were reports about substandard raw materials are contained in the locally produced instant coffees and the foreign brands are gaining more market shares in the local markets.

• Cholera outbreak under control in central Burma Monywa Town, said the township medical officer. There was a cholera outbreak in the town in mid June caused by eating a popular local dish called Nat Thuda, a rice salad.

• A local computer teaching centre named KMD has joined with London Metropolitan University in offering computer courses.

• The prices of rubber seeds have increased from kyats 3 per seed to kyats 8 per seed this year due to the buying spree for rubber plantation expansions. Small rubber plants are also fetching good prices, averaging kyats 450 per plant, said a rubber plantation owner.

• Private companies can form joint ventures with the fisheries department in exporting value added marine products. The basic rule is 15% of the export earnings in US$ will have to be deposited with the government banks and the fisheries department will lease land and cold stores to the joint venture private companies.

• Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and a donor from Japan have donated US$ 38000 to the central blood bank in Rangoon general hospital.

• More computer game shops have sprung up in Rangoon and the fees are declining, to kyats 200 per hour from previous year's kyats 300. There were about 20 computer game shops in each township in Rangoon and about 10 new shops are added each year, said a game enthusiast.

• Only 2 locally produced brands and 2 imported brands of toothpaste available in the markets are recognised as suitable for use by the dental surgeon association in Burma. The local brands are New Pepsodent and Fresh Up brands and the foreign brands are Colgate and Smile Up.

• Some Burmese origin orchids have medicinal properties and the medical research department is co-operating with the Myanmar agriculture enterprise in research to produce herbal medicines. Burmese orchids are in great demands from China for traditional herbal medicines, such as tonics for men.

• Payment terms for real estate rentals have changed. Instalment payment terms are being accepted in the market for rentals, said the real estate brokers. Current economic environment does not favour one time whole payment for most of the tenants, said the brokers.

• Fish arrivals at Rangoon fish wholesales market have been low, due to low catches and the high production costs are keeping the fishing boats grounded, said a fishmonger at the market. Exporters are also facing difficulties in acquiring their export order quantities and many have to cancel their contracts, said the fishmonger. Asked about the illegal practice of inserting lead in the shrimp bodies for weight gain, he said the strict measures carried out by the government and the wholesalers have curbed the practice.

 
The Voice 27/6/2005

• 38^th ASEAN ministerial meeting to be held from 26^th to 29^th July in Laos capital Vientiane.

• 159.11 tons of rubbers, seized in Muse border town, will be auctioned. The auction winner will be allowed to export the rubbers by normal trade from Rangoon, said the ministry of commerce source.

• The private sector is invited to participate in pearl culture farming, which has lower risk than other businesses, said the managing director of Myanmar Pearl Enterprise. Pear culture needs no electricity, no high-tech, and any foreign currency to set up the business and can earn substantial foreign incomes, explained the official at a meeting with local entrepreneurs.

• Post graduate course on politics, economics, culture, history and geography of Burma's states & divisions, to be opened in Rangoon University.

• Over 50,000 tons of rubbers are yielded every year in Burma and over 25,000 tons are being exported, said an official from ministry of agriculture.  There are over 500,000 acres of rubber plantations in 2004/05, increased from 190,000 acres in 1988.

• A 24 members delegation from Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand has made tours to Pa-an and Moulmein industrial zones in April to conduct preliminary studies on setting up special economic zones. Burma has designated a 950 acres area in Myawaddy and a 981 acres land in Pa-an near Zwekabin mountain as industrial zones.  

• 12 people were injured, 5 seriously, when a bus lost control and knocked down a public communication booth at a bus stop in downtown Rangoon on 23^rd June.

• 4 private companies with 300 acres ponds have begun shrimp farming in Myeik area. The government dug the ponds and expenses could be repaid in 2 years in 4 instalments.

• Piglets export business thrives in Burma-India border. The Indian government is providing loans for raising pigs to the families in Mizorum State and Burmese piglets are entering the Indian border state in big numbers.  

• Bagan Security Service will open Mandalay's first private security firm in August.

• Incomes from Durian plantations can reached kyats 19 lakhs per acre, said a plantation owner. Durian plantations can reach break-even point in seven years, explained the plantation owner.

• White Shrimp (Vannamei) farming licenses will be issued to the shrimp farmers, who can abide by the strict regulations to breed the white shrimps imported from Latin America.

• An exporter has suggested that Burma should prepare for sugar cane exports to China. China will become the world's top sugar importer in 2008, said the exporter. Burma currently exports some sugar canes to China by border trade. In 2005 March and April, 8700 tons of sugar canes worth US$ 600,000 were exported to China.

• Global Fund to provide US$ 9 million for anti-malaria projects in Burma. The fund is a part of US$ 35 millions reserved for Burma in the fight for AIDS, TB and Malaria.

• Burmese businessmen are urged to attend the international trade fairs to get international exposures, said the deputy director general of commerce department.

• Animal feeds prices rose sharply, due to increased demands and the changes in weather, said a businessman in animals farming.

• A 36 page Burma's tsunami affects research paper has been hoisted on the Web.

• Thailand to build a 62 kilometre canal from Burma's Than Lwin River to the Bumibol Dam in northern Thailand's Tak Province.

• Cement prices, which reached the highest in June, have lowered slightly in the third week of June. Cement prices have surged since end April, due to demands from Pyinmana, said a construction materials shop owner.

The Voice 20/6/2005

• The EU has proposed to open the ECHO representative office in Rangoon, said the minister for information Kyaw San at the June 12^th press conference in Rangoon. The minister was replying to a question asked by reporters. The EU currently provide grassroots assistance to about 470,000 people in Burma in basic healthcare, nutrition and water and sanitation. Total EU's aid in 2004 were euro 19.72 million.  

• Businesses will be allowed to make deposits and payments to Burmese government's overseas bank accounts, said the junta's officials. Junta's Secretary 1 Thein Sein made the announcement at the meeting between junta's top officials and 250 top businessmen on 3^rd June at Zeyathiri Palace. The junta's ministers are now conducting meetings in their respective areas, explaining about the junta's policy on curbing illegal foreign exchange transactions.

• Burma to issue e-Driving Licences starting in September, said an official from the transport administration department.

• Burma to build Than Lwin (Salween) and Thaninthayi (Tenassarim) hydropower projects said the announcement of BIMST-EC on energy sector co-operation.

• Burma is drafting the human trafficking law, said the minister for home affairs at the press conference on 12^th June.

• Marine product exports to China by border trade have to be conducted with normal trade methods and in US$, said the industry sources quoting the announcement made at the ministry's meeting on 6^th June. The move to change to normal trade is that the prices fetched by border trade are much different (lower) from the prices in normal trade, said an exporter. The ministry's officials explained at the meeting that they understand the difficulties of exporters and the ministry's fisheries bank will issue loans to the exporters.

• Burma exported over 300,000 tons of rubber in 2004/05 fiscal year.

• A private company named Asia King has signed contracts with suppliers in Rangoon's Bayint Naung wholesales market, to purchase pulses and beans worth about kyats 55,000 lakhs. Prices in India's markets have increased since end April and the demands for Burma's pulses and beans have increased in Bayint Naung market, said a dealer in the market.

• The shares of Forest Products Joint Venture Corp., which are marketed by the Myanmar Security Exchange Co., are in high demands and there are no seller of the shares, said a director from MSEC. The shares pay dividends of 30% annually for the last few years. The shares are priced at kyats 15800 for a 75% paid up shares, and kyats 10700 for a 50% paid up shares.

• There have been high cases of mushroom poisoning in early June and many people were admitted to hospitals, said a doctor from the poison treatment department.

• The logging roads in the eastern side of the central mountain range are now under construction, said the forestry sources. There are only a few trees remaining in the western part of the central range and logging operations are to be moved to the eastern part, where the terrain were more steep and more difficult to extract timber, said the sources.

• Malaysian buyers are interested in buying ideal goats from central Burma, said a goat breeder in central Burma Pyaw Bwe. There are high potentials for Burmese goats to be exported to Malaysia markets, said a businessman who has negotiated with Malaysian buyers. Mutton consumption in Burma is not high and there are potentials in extending goats breeding and exporting mutton from Burma.   

• Burmese musicians are invited to participate in the French music festival, to be held on 21^st June at the Alliance Francaise.

• The Royalty Fees from local owned sailing boats for tourists in Myeik archipelago and KawThaung, are reduced to 5% of the incomes, said the general secretary of the hotel entrepreneurs association. Foreign owned sailboats are charged $ 80 for Kawthaung area and $ 120 for both Kawthaung and Myeik, per passenger. Locally owned boats were previously charged  $ 80 and $ 50 respectively. Now the Royalty Fees for locally owned boats are reduced to only 5% of incomes to make local boats more competitive, said the general secretary.

• Fine Art market becomes cool in Burma this year due to fewer collectors, said a popular artist.

• Onion prices are up, due to the storing in anticipation for export markets, said a trader in Bayint Naung wholesales market.

• A US$ 10,000 deposit is required to enter the teak tender sales at Muse border town, said an announcement of Myanmar Timber Enterprise. Over 1,000 tons of seized teak planks, assorted wooden carvings and dried orchids are on sales by sealed tender.

• The ASEAN Tourism Forum 2006 will be held in Rangoon from 13^th January to 21^st January 2006, said an announcement on ASEAN Travel Forum Website.

• The UMFCCI has cancelled the 10% deposit for purchase contracts signed and registered at the CCI wholesales centres.  The 10% deposits from the buyers were previously asked by UMFCCI to protect the suppliers from being cheated by swindlers.

The Voice 13/6/2005

• Secretary 1 Thein Sein said, in a meeting between junta officials and some 250 businessmen on 3^rd June at the Zayar Thiri Palace, that the private sector will soon be re-allowed to export sesame seeds.  

• The owners of guest houses, restaurants and stores in Rangoon are urged by the authorities to install CCTV cameras and keep the monitoring records, in case the authorities need to track suspicious movements or persons.

• Private owned FISCA Enterprise to manufacture security devices in Burma.

• Rangoon University English Department's Global English courses to re-open on 25^th June.

• Mount Popa has become a popular tourist site and the medicinal plants garden and the herbal medicine museum on the site has been keenly interested by the tourists, said the tour guides. 

• A new Burma travels guide Internet Web Site, www.  7courier.com, has been hosted.

• The orange plantations in northern Shan State's Thibaw, Kyaukme and Lasho areas, are now returning to re-planting the original orange species, instead of growing the hybrid orange plants. While the hybrid orange species produce sweeter fruits in earlier growing periods, they need extensive care and inputs, while the original species require less attention and inputs. Also the locally produced hybrid oranges could not compete with the imported oranges from China which are better in quality, said a merchant from the area.       

• Export demands for green crabs and soft-shell crabs have increased, said the crab exporters. Burma exports over 12,000 tons of crabs annually to Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong and China. There are over 160 crab-exporting companies in Burma.

• Big scale pig farming in lower Burma Prome Town have been successful said a commercial pig farmer in the area. The commercial pig farmers depend on Thailand's CP Company for their piglet stocks and feeds.

• Bagan Cyber Tech, the only Internet Service Provider in Burma, announces that the users' fees will be raised starting 1^st July.

• A private company is planning to install a bio-gas generator, using coconut branches as fuel source. The bio-gas generator will be installed at a shrimp farm in Chaung Tha beach.

• Myanmar Agriculture Enterprise to produce 1 million Burmese origin orchid plants, using tissue culture method.  

• Pyi Phyo Aung Company, which is planting 600 acres of sesame plants in central Burma Magwe Division, is expecting to yield and export 300 tons of sesame seeds in the coming months, said an executive from the company. During this year, the well-known Htoo Trading Company is planning to export black sesame seeds.  

• There have been ID card checks on the bus passengers in some satellite towns, said drivers of the bus lines that ply the routes between the city and the satellite towns.

• Serious riverbank erosions have been occurring in Delta's Bogalay and Malamyine Gyun townships, said the residents there. The river bank erosions have been increasing every year, the residents added.

• Marine product exports to Bangladesh will continue, amid reports of excessive preservative chemicals contamination in the marine products exported from Burma, said the chairman of Burma's marine product exporters association. The association has denied the allegation, saying that marine products exported from Burma are subject to regular inspections, and the rumours were aimed at defaming Burmese marine products.   

• Pulses and beans prices have risen in India, said an official from ministry of commerce's research department.

• Transport charges between Rangoon and upper Burma are declining due to fewer cargoes, said a cargo truck operator in Bayint Naung wholesales market. 

• Burma exported over 10,000 tons of mangoes in 2004/05 and earned over US$ 2 million, said an official from MAPT. Burmese mangoes were exported to China, Singapore, Thailand and Bangladesh and China is the biggest buyer.

• About 20% of Burmese people are suffering from hypertension and the people are urged to check their blood pressure at least once a year, said the heart disease department professor of Rangoon's general hospital. A research in 2004 has found the problem, said the professor.

The Voice 6/6/2005

• Young President's Organisation to make a trip to the archaeological town of Pagan on a tour named 'Ancient Empires'. The YPO is the organisation of 9500 young top executives from 75 countries, who are making tours to various destinations around the world to understand the visiting countries' economics and culture.

• The City Mart Supermarket at Junction 8 Shopping Centre, which sustained damages from the 7 May bomb blast, will re-open in the second week of June. The Supermarket is also starting telephone shopping with door to door delivery service.

• A trade delegation from AUSTRADE visited Burma in the beginning of May. Australia is interested in importing agriculture products from Burma and currently preparing for the imports of mangoes from Burma. A mangoes processing plant is under construction in Rangoon, with the technical assistance from Australia.  

• Burma's government owned Myanmar Insurance to introduce risk insurance scheme to cover terrorist attacks. Myanmar Insurance currently covers insurance on 20 categories and total premiums are estimated at kyats 1500 billion. 

• PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry from India, which visited Burma in May, made a report to the India government that it is the time for India to look to Burma strategically, because Burma is the only ASEAN country that is adjoining to India.

• Thailand to go ahead with its trade fair in Rangoon scheduled to be held in November, said Thailand's ministry of commerce sources.

• A director from MHLG, the holding group which has been a major exporter of pulses and beans and also a major importer of fertilisers, had fled abroad after cheating big amount of money from some state economic enterprises and local businesses.

• The car purchase tax imposed on car owners since October 2003 will have to be paid in 3 instalments, starting from 1^st April. The government initially announced in 2003 that the one time tax is payable in five instalments every six months. The government imposed 15% of the market value of the cars on the car owners.

• Rangoon International Trade Show 2005, planned to be held in Myanmar Convention Centre starting 25^th May, was postponed. 

• French Cultural Attaché in Rangoon said the French Embassy's Cultural Centre will open an advance diploma course on Diploma Cultures et Interculturalite'.

• Some experts from Australia are making regular trips to Burma since 1997 to study some insects (cow dung bugs) found in the country, said an official from Burma's Birds and Nature Society.

• Burma exported 250,000 tons of shrimps & prawns in 2004/05 fiscal year, increasing from 200,000 tons exports in 2003/04. About 150 companies are exporting shrimps and prawns to 40 countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Belgium.

• Myanmar Human Resource (MHR) to open courses on Practitioner Certificate in Human Resource Management awarded from London based Association of Business Executives, said the principal of the school. There are skill shortages in human resources management sector in Burma. 

• Burma and India Joint Trade Committee to hold a meeting to increase bilateral trade between the two countries. The promotion of transit trade is on the meeting agenda. India wants to export IT Products to China and Thailand through Burma on transit trade.

• The revenues of YCDC have surpassed the targets of kyats 355 million to kyats 390 millions in 2004/05. Foreign exchange revenues from hotels, motels, inns and factories were US$ 409,000. The YCDC has raised the revenue targets for 2005/06 fiscal year, but revenue rates will remain the same, said an official from YCDC.

• Pieces of lead are often found in the bodies of prawns traded in the country. Some fishermen and traders are inserting lead pieces into the body of prawns to gain weight when trading. The problem becomes a serious problem for exporters and they are checking the prawns carefully by using metal detectors when buying the prawns locally. The image of Burmese shrimps and prawns could be hurt if lead pieces are found when the prawns reached international markets, said a marine product exporter.

• Over 1500 tons of castor seeds were exported to China earlier this year and Burma fetched US$ 0.90 million from the castor seeds exports. Castor plants could be planted in Magwe, Pago and Mandalay divisions and castor plants bear seeds after 4 months of planting. Per acre yield is 9 baskets and the price is US$ 353 per ton. Castor harvest season is January and February. A private company named Tin Mg Aye and Mahar Brothers successfully planted 2300 acres in central Burma and, market sources said, if all their produces could have been exported, the company would have fetched US$ 50,000 millions. 

• The list of 6 companies, which were issued license to export 4600 tons of onions with the price of US$ 180 per ton.

• The agriculture companies are on the buying for perennial plant plantations in Hlegu Township near Rangoon to grow pepper plants. Previous prices for the plantations were around kyats 100,000 per acre, but the prices have risen to kyats 200,000 per acre recently.       

• Two deers from Kandawgyi recreation zone died recently due to the hot weather, said an officer from the mini zoo.

• 4 bicycle tour groups from the U.S will come to Burma on a China By Bike tour program. The groups will enter Burma from Muse border gate and will tour around Burma for 15 days on bicycles and will end their tour in Rangoon's Shwedagon Pagoda.

•  Paper prices rose suddenly in early May in Rangoon's paper market.

• UMFCCI has urged all shopping centres and super markets to install modern security systems.

• The number of rubber plantations in the Taninthayi (coastal) region is increasing because small and medium businesses from Rangoon are increasingly interested in growing rubber. The locals people in the region, who were previously working on the borders, are now busy planting rubbers with good wages, said an entrepreneur from Rangoon who paid kyats 120,000 per acre to the locals.

• The planting of Ohio Corn will be expanded in Burma, said an official from Myanmar Seeds Limited, which introduced the hybrid corn seeds in Burma two years ago. The high yield corn seeds will be distributed to the farmers on contract farming system, said the official.  

• Article about changes in the life styles of the people in Rangoon after the May 7 bomb blasts. Increased awareness on security matters among Rangoon people.

 The Voice 2/5/2005

·          Feasibility studies for another highway road linking Thaton town in southeast Burma and Thantaung in lower Burma stretching in the eastern side of the Sittaung River is underway, said the executive engineer from public works department. The new highway road will become a part of the India-Burma-Thailand three country highway. Construction works for the first part of the three-country highway, starting from Myawaddy near Thai-Burma border to Thaton, have been in progress. 

·          Burma to hold auditions for Myanmar Idol 2005 in June.

·          New Zealand to accept more Burmese students and New Zealand’s immigration minister said that the regulations will be relaxed for foreign students to enter into New Zealand and take up part-time jobs.

·          Bangkok Airways to increase its regular flights to Rangoon, from current 1 flight per day to two flights per day, starting from November and using new Air Bus A320 aircraft. Air Bagan is approaching Bangkok Airways for co-operation in flight routes, said the sales executive from Bangkok Airways.

·          Temperature in Burma is high this summer, but would not reach record high like in 1998 when the highest temperature reached 44^.C in Rangoon, said the deputy D.G for meteorological department. Central Burma’s Myinchan town is experiencing a 44^.C heat since the third week of April. The snows in northernmost Burma’s mountains have melted and the water levels in the rivers have increased, creating good environmental conditions, the deputy D.G said.  

·          Although about 1500 tons of onions were exported to Malaysia and Indonesia in 2004-2005 season, there were no disruption in local supplies and local prices, said the wholesales market sources. Private companies with owned farmland reclaimed for restricted crops exports purpose were allowed to export the restricted crops such as onion and sesame seeds.

·          Plantation labourers in southern plantations are mostly from central regions said the plantation owners in southern Burma’s coastal region. The local people in coastal region tend to work in fishing industry due to better pay on the fishing boats (kyats 1500-2500 per day) than the plantations, said a businessman in the region.

·          Hlaing Thayar Industry Zone in Rangoon to be awarded as ASEAN’s best Industrial Zone, said the zone’s chairman. Hlaing Thayar Industrial zone was selected for its good town plan, ready accommodations for workers, good water supply and no pollution, said the chairman.

·          Burma could earn US$ 5 millions in 2004-05, from the exports of restricted crops such as onion, sesame seeds, peanuts, and castors, said the sources from ministry of commerce.

·          Relatives of the Shan leaders, who announced independent Shan State, are not being arrested and detained in Burma, the minister for information said in the news conference on 17^th April.

·          Burma has no chemical weapons and will not break the treaty on international convention on chemical weapons control, said the minister for information at a news conference on 22^nd April.

·          Burma’s anti malaria department under the ministry of health, with the aid from Global Fund, to distribute anti-mosquito pills to medicate the mosquito nets, said a doctor from the health department.  PSI is currently distributing the pills. 

·          Myawaddy Travel & Tours (owned by UMEHL) has taken over the airport transfer service business from Phoenix Travel Service (owned by MI) since January.

·          Irrawaddy Flotilla company has donated US$ 50,000 to the U Hla Tun cancer hospice in Mandalay.

·          Unlicensed vendors in Chaung Tha beach will face kyats 50,000 fines and one-month imprisonment, said the local authorities. The garbage from the vendors, such as fish bones, lobster heads and barbecue sticks, are causing injuries to the beach comers, said a stall owner at the beach.

·          FAO to participate in the forestry co-operation between Burma, Laos and Vietnam, said the assistant representative of FAO.

·          Burma is exporting Tilapia fishes to Saudi Arabia, UAE and England, said a director from fisheries department. Tilapia fish exports earn US$ 890,000 this year, said the director. Burma is promoting Tilapia fish farming in the country.

·          Burma approves limited culture farming of Hawaii White Shrimp (Vannamei) in Ngwesaung area. A shrimp virus could cause great damages to the white shrimp farms and also could seriously affect the environment, said the shrimp farming industry sources.

·          The British Council has announced in April that the English Teachers Conference will be held on 14^th and 15^th May in Rangoon’s Sedona Hotel. All the English Teachers are invited. The upcoming conference is the 7^th conference conducted yearly by the British Council.

The Voice 25/4/2005

·          Another 369 mile long international class highway road linking Rangoon and Mandalay will be built to the west of existing highway road, said the senior executive engineer from ministry of construction. Preparation works such as surveying and demarcation works have been completed, said the official. The new highway road construction works were assigned in 1996 to private companies such as Yuzana, Services International, Naing Yadanar and Delta Myanmar, but the project did not materialise.

·          Construction works for the first phase of Burma’s biggest pharmaceutical factory near Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo) has completed, said an official from ministry of industrial 1.

·          Burma to reduce the number of seamen employment agencies said the director general of directorate of water transport. There are over 60,000 registered Burmese seamen and about 14700 seamen left Burma in 2004/05 for employment abroad. Since 1997, over 12000 Burmese seamen left Burma every year to work abroad.

·          Burma earned Euro 1.6 million from teak tender sales on 28^th March. A total of 44 companies; 13 companies from Europe, 8 companies from Singapore, 5 from Japan, 1 from India, 1 from Malaysia and 7 from Burma, competed in buying 1300 tons of teak logs.

·          Mr. Steven James Winter from the National Geographic Magazine travels to Burma for the third time, starting from 18/4/2005. He would stay in Burma’s delta region for 41 days and would study and record the culture, geography, animals and plants and traditions of the region. The Magazine has published an article about gold hunters and the wildlife and beauty of Hukaung Valley in northern Burma Kachin State in its April 2004 issue.

·          Myanmar Timber Enterprise has announced that all companies, which have signed contracts with MTE, will have to sign new contracts with MTE in the new financial year. MTE has urged all the companies to make payments for the outstanding balances.

·          Shop owners in the Yuzana Plaza have made a petition to the plaza owner, to postpone the rise of shop rents until businesses have improved. The plaza owner informed shop owners in March that the rents will be increased about 1 ^½ to 2 times than the current prices and one-year lease contracts have to be signed. The shop owners said businesses have been slow and it is not possible for them to make a one-time payment for a one-year contract. 

·          Two sugar mills, the Bee Lin and Zeyawaddy Sugar Mills, owned by Myanma Sugar Cane Enterprise under the ministry of agriculture have been transferred to ministry of industry 1. Myanma Sugar Enterprise has recently transferred Oak Kan Sugar Mill to UMEHL and Taung Zin Aye Sugar Mill to MEC.

·          MAPT (Myanma Agriculture Produce Trading) is conducting a survey on hydrogen cyanide contamination (HCN) in the butter beans produced in Burma. Burma exported about 90,000 tons of butter beans to Korea and Japan in 2003/04 and earned about US$ 2.4 millions.

·          Foundry factories in the industrial zones across Burma would start operating in April, said an exhibition from the ministry of industry 1, at the armed forces day.

·          Portable engine-driven air compressor rental services, which are use to pump water from artesian wells, doing brisk business in Rangoon where an acute power shortage is occurring. The rental charges are kyats 3000 (US$ 3.3) per hour and can pump about 500 gallons of water per hour.

·          A workshop on “Turning border trade into normal trade” was conducted in the Thai-Burma border town of Myawaddy on 30th March.

·          Burma is promoting Tilapia fish breeding, aimed at supplying for local consumption and exports.

·          Bus fares from Rangoon to Mandalay before and during the water festival rose 3 times than the normal fare, form kyats 4500 to kyats 12,000.

The Voice 14/3/2005

·          Construction works for the upper Paung Laung hydropower project begin in March. The project is the subsequent project of Burma’s second biggest Paung Laung hydropower project, which was projected to generate 280 megawatts of electricity. The subsequent project will generate 140 megawatts of electricity. Burma is projected to generate a total of 1880.733 megawatts of electricity, after all the ongoing power projects are completed.

·          Suntac Technologies Ltd, a private owned company, will build an international class convention hall on Pyay Road near the People’s Park.

·          Mandalay’s 78^th Main Road has turn into a new downtown area of Mandalay, with new late 20^th century style buildings and the Mandalay Information & Computer Technology Park (MICT), replacing the old 84^th Main Road which only has old buildings and conventional businesses. Mandalay’s young generations flock to the 78^th main road for IT and entertainment facilities.

·          The British Council will replace white boards with Electronic Boards after the water festival, said a student from BC.  BC will become the first to use Electronic Boards in Burma.

·          Indian tourists are entering Burma from the new border gate in Nantparlon on India-Burma border. Tamu border gate is the most popular entry point for Indian tourists, who can enter Burma with a 15-day visa and travel to inland cities like Mandalay.

·          Lai Lai Hotel in Chaung Thar beach will spend kyats 3000 million for the hotel expansion. Lai Lai Hotel has rented the 70 rooms hotel and 27 acres of land from the ministry of tourism since 1997.

·          Actions will be taken against the shark hunters, said a notice from the ministry of fisheries posted at the Pathein fishery office in Burma’s delta. Local village authorities are urged to inform the fishermen about the ban on shark hunting, said the notice. Shark populations have dwindled dramatically in Burma, due to illegal shark hunting.

·          Burma’s ministry of fisheries has entered into joint venture with China’s Zhoashan Dahyo company on a trial marine caged farming for marine fishes such as butterfish and red snapper. 

·          Two Burmese companies, Soe Electronic Machinery Company and IBTC International Beverages Trading Company, will receive ISO certifications in April, said an officer from Asia Pacific Inspection Agency.

·          The employers in Malaysia are exploiting on workers from Burma, said a worker in Malaysia. Burmese workers were told by the employment agencies in Burma that 200 Ringgits will be cut from their monthly salary for a period of 9 months as agent fees, but the workers are facing salary cuts after the 9 months period. Some workers have not received overtime pays as promised and in worst cases, they receive only food allowances after working. Most of the Burmese overseas workers going to Malaysia after 2003 are on credit contracts with the employment agencies. 

·          A group of Burmese workers in Malaysia’s Jahor Baru State are trying to sue their employer, Teh Teik Boay Furnishing Factory, for not paying them in the last 8 months. The 14 Burmese workers said they receive only Ringgit 100 per month for food money in the last 8 months from their employer.

·          The Irrawaddy Flotilla Company resumes its Pandaw Cruises starting from 12^th March. The Road to Mandalay cruises and Pandaw 1947 cruises were operating regularly while the company was working on license application with the related ministries in February.

Car prices in Rangoon are up due to buyers from the provinces who get good prices for their exportable pulses and beans. Pulses and beans prices are up due to the buying for exports by China border trade.

 
The Voice 21/2/2005

·          Burma’s fishery federation has invited 4 professors from the Bangkok based AIT (Asian Institute of Technology), and conducted a workshop on Tilapia breeding on 14^th & 15^th February. The four professors, one British, two Chinese and one Nepalese, presented research papers on modern Tilapia breeding.

·          Burma to form SME (Small & Medium Enterprise) development committee to help develop the SME sector in the country, said professor Daw Nu Nu Yin of Rangoon’s Economics Institute. A small SME Club was established in 2002 with some entrepreneurs and had conducted seminars & workshops, but the club was disbanded later.

·          Burma and China to conduct joint geological surveys along the China-Burma border.

·          Sea turtles conservation training to be held soon on Kayetgyi Island in Burma delta’s Bogalay Township.  The 10-day course is organised by fishery department and will study natural habitats of the sea turtles along Burma’s coastal.

·          A local owned Interconnection Co., has leased from the government and has been operating the Pandaw cruise ship along the Irrawaddy River since 2004. The ship was built in 1947 in Scotland. The Irrwaddy Flotilla Co., owned by a Scottish name Paul Strachan, chartered the ship from the Burmese government and operated river cruises along the Irrawaddy River, attracting many tourists. The company became very successful with the river cruises and had built 4 more new ships in Burma. Irrawaddy Flotilla stopped all its businesses in Burma last year and moved to Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and India.

·          Burma’s ministry of commerce has issued a new announcement, setting cars’ model (year made) for applying car import license. Import license applications will be considered only for buses and trucks built after 1998, pick-ups and mini-buses built after 2000 and saloons, sedans, vans & wagons built after 2002.

·          A paper mill in Ma-u-bin Township in Burma’s delta, jointly built by China Yunnan Corporation and Burmese government owned Myanma Jute Enterprise, will annually produce 5000 tons of white paper.

·          Burma’s seafarers association is planning to establish a home for the aged seamen.

·          Burma exported US$ 15 million worth of mud crabs to Bangladesh, China, Thailand, Singapore and Taiwan in 2003/04.

·          Burma building 8 more CNG gas stations in Rangoon and is turning the city buses into natural gas vehicles.

·          Ruby Dragon Jade and Gems Company, an affiliate of the ethnic Pa’O cease-fire group from southern Shan State special region (6) and headed by its economic co-ordinator U Nay Win Tun, is planning to grow onions in Shan State for exports. The company is also an affiliate of Jade Dragon Company.

·          Korea International Co-operation Agency KOICA has given US$ 300,000 for central region greening project. The project will plant 815 acres of forest plantations in central dry zone and Korea will supply machinery and training for the project staff.

·          Burma has potentials to increase the productions of marine products, said an article on Burma’s fishery sector.

·          Rangoon Institute of Technology will supply private entrepreneurs with technologies to produce low costs construction materials, made from locally available raw materials. The products, ranging from roofing sheets to partition walls, can be produced from fibres from banana plants, coconut shells, pine apple leaves and used papers.

·          Burma to try seashells and oysters farming in western Rakkhine State, with technology and breeder oysters imported from China.

 
The Voice 14/2/2005

·          Irrawaddy Flotilla Company to cease its operation in Burma. The company has operated Pandaw river cruises between Mandalay & Bagan. The company’s flag ship Pandaw (1) was built in Scotland in 1947 and the company had hired the vessel from the government. The company later built Pandaw (2) & Pandaw (3) and had successfully operated between Pyi-Mandalay-Bagan-Banmaw route. On 2003, the two vessels were brought to Thailand & Vietnam.  A local private company is now hiring Pandaw (1) from the government and operating near Mandalay.

·          Asia World Port, to most successful private owned port in Rangoon, to expand it’s berthing space in 2005 on a 14-acre land adjoining the port.

·          Air Bagan, which becomes successful in a short time in Burma’s air travel industry, plans to fly charter flights to any town which has airfields, said a company executive. The charter flights are intended for foreign tourists and northern Burma's snowy areas are targetted areas to attract foreing skiers, said travel industry sources.

·          Burma to establish animal check points in Shan State’s Tarchileik & Mine Yang to check for foot & mouth disease on imported and exported animals.

·          Burma laid down water resources development policies and is working according to the policies to protect its rivers and water resources, said the meteorology department D.G.

·          Burma’s football federation’s chairmanship has been transfer to U Zaw Zaw of Max Myanmar Company from U Win Aung of Dagon International Company. U Zaw Zaw is also the chairman of Burma’s Tennis Federation.

·          Export earnings from pulses and beans export may increase if there are infrastructure developments to produce value-added products, the industry sources said. The most prospective beans for increased exports are Soya beans and Green Mung beans, said the businessmen. Burma urgently needs to use modern machinery, such as colour sorter, to upgrade its pulses and beans, said the industry sources.

The Voice 7/2/05

·          Burma to export 500,000 tons of rice this year. 8 private companies, which are involve in big-scale paddy farming, are being allowed to export rice, said a rice merchant. Among them are Ayar Shwe War & Thein Swe & Brothers companies.

·          Thailand’s Board of Investment to visit Burma from 22^nd February to 25^th February. Will visit Pa-an, Moulmein & Hlaing Tharyar Industrial zones.

·          A new island emerged in Rakkhine State after the Asian tsunami. The highest point of the new island rises 20 feet above sea level, said the fishermen in the area.

·          Nawadday Hotel & Tourism Company, which is owned by UMEHL, is building the Central Ngwe Saung Hotel, in Ngwe Saung beach. The hotel is said to become one of Burma’s best hotels.

·          Philippines Airlines is planning to sign an agreement with the Burmese government to fly to Rangoon. 14 foreign airlines are currently flying to Burma.

·          Burma to introduce Rice-Shrimp farming method in its paddy fields. Fresh water shrimps are to be farmed simultaneously with paddy. Baby fresh water shrimps cost kyats 10/pcs, compare to kyats 4/pcs for seawater shrimps, due to higher production costs and longer duration to hatch baby fresh water shrimps.

·          Burma’s mineral prospecting department & China’s Hainan Jiayi Export & Import Co., Ltd to jointly conduct copper & other minerals prospecting in Burma northern Kachin State.

·          Private owned Asia World Port Terminal in Rangoon handles 43% of the cargo containers arriving & departing Burma. The port is the number one port in Burma with 620 meters long berthing wharf. Burma has 3 others international cargo terminals, which are Thilawa Port, Bo Aung Kyaw Port & Myanmar Industrial Port.

·          Burma & Thailand negotiating for crabs & shells export to Thailand directly from Rangoon.

·          Western Rangoon’s township authorities have ordered household employers & shop owners to register their maids & employees with the township police station & local authorities. There have been increased crimes in Rangoon which involve house maids & shop employees.

·          Burma & Thailand to co-operate in Soya bean plantations project in Burma. Burma is the forth-biggest Soya beans exporter in the world.

·          A new international class resort hotel in Chin State’s Mindut Town will be opened in April.

·          Burmese authorities say they have released the 82-year old U.S citizen, who staged a lone protest last month in front of the city hall in Rangoon, out of goodwill towards international relations & due to old age of the protestor.

·          Local private media companies have been invited to the recent government’s news conference. 

·          Seamen who are going abroad for employment have to attend HIV/AIDS awareness courses before leaving Burma, said a seaman.

·          Burma to breed Hawaii white shrimps starting this year, said the general secretary of shrimp farmers association. Burma’s conventional tiger shrimp farmers are facing difficulties in competing with the Hawaii white shrimps, which are gaining popularity in the world market due to its low costs & higher yield (double) compare to the tiger shrimps.

·          Burma’s seafarers association to build another international class golf course near the Than Hlyin Bridge in Tharketa. The new course will be compatible to Pun Hlaing Golf Course, which is considered to be the best golf course in Burma, said the association officials.

·          Burmese government perennial crops enterprise sold (by auctions), 952 tons of rubber with over kyats 8900 lakhs to 4 private companies for exports. Rubber fetches US$ 1100-1300 per ton in international market.

·          There are about 25,000 unregistered (without) vehicles in Burma, estimated Police Chief Khin Yee. The authorities are asking (without) car owners to surrender their cars before 31^st March. A total of 3400 vehicles have been surrendered all over Burma since last November.

·          The government’s irrigation department has demanded kyats 90 per gallon for waters taken from the water dams, from fish farmers in central Burma’s Mandalay & Sagaing Divisions, said a fish farmer in central Burma. The farmer complained that a farmer with 4 feet by feet pond would have to pay kyats 90,000 for waters taken from the water dams.

 
The Voice 31/1/2005

·          An Austrian based investment firm has visited Ngwe Saung beach on 19^th January, to study the possibilities for investment in estates for the elderly people from Europe, said the company’s senior investment officer Mr. Helmut Deuitchler.

·          Candi Craig Hotel in May Myo will be transferred to Kappa group. The Kappa group owns the Pagan’s Tharabar Hotel & Ngapali’s Beach Resort Hotel.

·          Madalay Inwa Hotel will be transferred to Htoo Trading Company. Htoo Trading owns an international class hotel in Ngwe Saung Beach and is building another international hotel on a large land plot near Pagan Golf Course in Pagan.

·          Post graduate (master class) student visas to U.K are 100% sure to obtain, said Dr. Nay Win Naung of Nawarat Education Co-op Ltd at an education seminar on 22^nd January, quoting the words of British Ambassador to Burma. Nawarat Education is working with Wigan & Leigh College (UK) in providing post graduate courses in UK for Burmese students. 

·          Burma’s exports have been increasing yearly and there are trade surplus since 2001-2002 due to correct trade policies by the government, said an official from UMFCCI at the opening ceremony for trade courses offered by UMFCCI. Burma’s exports up from kyats 16 billion in 96/97 to kyats 35 billion in 2002/03, said the official.

·          There are no fish poisoning in the tsunami affected areas in Burma’s Irrawaddy Delta and people are eating fish as usual, said a resident in the area. FAO has issued a statement, saying that it is safe to eat fish in the tsunami affected areas in Asia and there are no sign of Biotoxin in the area. 

·          FAO to assist Burma in building two Soya bean oil factories in Burma, said a staff from the organisation. The Soya Bean Oil factories will be built in Mandalay & Magwe (or) Pegu divisions, said the staff.

·          Burma imports rubber flooring parquet from Australia on a trial basic, to compete with Korea’s Vinyl flooring which dominates Burma market, said the company which imports the flooring parquet from Australia.

·          A big factory for disposable syringe & dextrose, will open soon in InnYaung village near Kyauk Se, Mandalay Division.  Investment for the factory was US$ 6 mil and kyats 4232 mil, and the factory output capacity is 30 million disposable syringes and 2.5 mil destrose I.V per year.

·          A new road linking Matupi and Palekwa in southern Chin State is under construction, said the military strategic officer of Chin State.

·          Onion grew by private companies are on their way for export, said an officer from ministry of commerce.

·          A child had died recently from eating boiled tapioca, said a doctor at the Children Hospital in Rangoon. There are Cyanide toxins in raw tapioca, said the doctor and she advised that tapioca should be boiled with the lid of the boiling pot opened.

·          Himalaya Company will build a resort hotel in Min Dut Town in Chin State.

·          Burma to use satellite images to estimate crops output, said Credent Technology, which supply the technology to the Burmese government.

 
The Voice 24/1/2005

·          Burma’s new private owned Air Bagan, which becomes successful in a short time, gets two more ATR aircraft for its fleet. Air Bagan is flying with its Fokker 100 aircraft. The airline is also expanding its flights to Pathein in delta region, starting from 8^th January.

·          Rangoon UNICEF has enough medicine and medical supplies for one year for Burma’s tsunami victims, said UNICEF’s public relation officer.

·          Burma’s private owned Royal Mail Express Service changes its logo because the old logo was similar to a mail delivery service in Britain.

·          The India based World Peace Foundation will come and grow organic food & plants in Burma for Europe market. The NGO will grow rice, corn, pulses and beans, fruits and vegetables. The NGO is seeking 1 million acres of land near Rangoon.

·          Pho Kyar Resort (elephant camp) in central Burma near Taungoo, receives enough guests, said a tour operator. Current season is elephant training season.

·          Burma to issue mango export licenses within 24 hours to promote mangoes exports, said a ministry of commerce officer.

·          Preserved foods produced in Burma, such as canned food, tamarind fruit cordials, dried shrimps, dried and preserved bamboo shoots, sausages and jams, have excessive lead content and they are not save to consume, said Dr. Phyu Phyu Aung of medical research in a seminar in Rangoon.

·          Cease-fire groups are urged to plant 10,000 acres of rubber each by the government.

·          Burma’s private sector will be allowed to export 30,000 tons of rice through UMFCCI, said the Chamber sources.

·          American Saffron becomes opium substitute crop in Kachin State, said a Kachin co-operative society.

4 Singapore companies, Swiss Singapore Overseas Enterprise Pte Ltd, Virval Global Trade Pte Ltd, Growth Pte Ltd and MP Global Pte Ltd, buy pulses and beans worth US$ 86.88 million from Burma in a recent Burma’s Co-operatives Show

The Voice 17/1/2005

·          Burma to build another Irrawaddy River crossing bridge near Bagan archaeological site. The bridge will become 10^th Irrawaddy crossing bridge.

·          Bagan Tharabar Hotel group signed co-operation agreement with the Road to Mandalay river cruise. The Road to Mandalay river cruise was invested by U.K’s Eastern & Oriental Company and the company last year also bought the shares of Pansea Hotel Group.

·          Mandalay City Hospital will open soon. The hospital is said to be the most modern hospital in Burma.

·          Iran has provided relief aid for Burma tsunami victims. A plane carrying 600 tons of relief aid arrived Rangoon airport on 8^th January.

·          Burma received Euro 1.6 million from recent teak sales by tender system in December, announced the government’s Myanmar Timber Enterprise. 12 European companies, 2 Singapore companies, 6 Hong Kong companies, 5 Japanese companies, 1 Indian company, 1 Malaysia company, 9 Thai companies and 12 Burmese companies, a total of 57 companies competed in the tender sales of 1000 tons of teak.

·          Burma’s ministry of energy says Burma can save US$ 5.5 million a year by switching to use CNG (compress natural gas) in Burma. Burma has 455822 cars and by saving 1 gallon of petrol/diesel per car per month, the country can save US$ 5.5 million in fuel imports, said the news from the ministry. Burma spends about US$ 300 million per year on diesel and petrol imports. Burma is changing 5000 city buses into CNG vehicles in Rangoon.

·          Rangoon’s industrial zones lack architectural design composition due to commercial constraints, said a lecturer from Rangoon institute of technology at the seminar on ‘Formation of a Design Guidelines for Industrial Planning in Rangoon’.

·          Burma ministry of forests will scrutinise illegal timber trading both for local use and exports, said the minister for forestry at the annual meeting of the timber merchants association. The association’s annual report said timber merchants are responsible for reforestation works in the country.

·          Burma opens forestry museum on 3^rd January at the forestry department compound in Rangoon.

·          Burma’s forestry department has been working on conservation of tidal forests, in co-operation with JICA, said an official from JICA.

·          Ethnic Naga tribes in Rangoon held “Naga New Year Celebration” at a Naga’s residence in Hlaing Tharyar. There are about 100 Naga people in Rangoon, who are mostly students, government employees and Christian missionaries.

·          Rice prices up. Onion prices slightly up. Garlic & potato prices up.

·          Commodity prices are cool at Mandalay wholesales market. Border trades at China border have been slow, with very few imports. There are some exports to China but the export prices are low.

The Voice 10/1/2005

·          The famous U Pein Bridge, one of Burma’s few popular tourist site, will be repaired by Diamond Palace Company. Some sections of the bridge were damaged in last monsoon flooding. U Pein, who served Pagan King as a city clerk, constructed the bridge in 1849. 1086 teak posts were use to construct the 3967 feet long bridge. The Diamond Palace company constructed the Naung Cho section of the Mandalay-Lashio-Muse highway road.

·          Burma is arranging to export pulses and beans directly to India, not via Singapore, said the minister for commerce at the annual meeting of the pulses and beans merchants on 30^th December.  India is Burma’s biggest buyer, with 72% of Burma’s pulses and beans go to India. Additional US$ 20 per ton is costing Burma, for the exports which go via Singapore, said the minister.

·          Burma is the world’s second biggest exporter of pulse and beans with exports of 12.1 thousand tons of pulses and beans, said the commerce minister. But, the minister said that Japanese ministry of health informed Burma that Burma’s pulses and beans exports to Japan were contaminated with Cyanide and Burma’s exports of pulses and beans need to be value added. Burma earns 40% of its export earnings from pulses and beans exports.

·          Burma’s passports section announced on 5^th January that it will issue passports for Burmese women who seek employment abroad. Passports will be issued within a week from the application date, said the announcement.

·          A Malaysian Company named Golden Adequate Sdn. Bhd will breed ostriches in Burma, in joint venture with the government’s agriculture and animal breeding enterprise. Previous trial breeding in Burma, both by private and government enterprises, were not successful said an officer from the enterprise.

·          Burma to allow the private sector to import CNG automobiles. The ministry of commerce on 31^st December announced specifications for the CNG automobiles.

·          The increases in the heavy machinery usage in jade mining in Parkant area are causing employment losses for local labourers, said a jade broker from Parkant.

·          Burma’s meteorological department has detected 38 aftershocks after the massive earthquake on 26^th December until 28^th December, said the department’s deputy D.G.

·          OPEC has granted an aid package worth US$ 12.3 million to help oil crops farmers in 36 townships of Burma.

·          An environmental conservation exhibition booth was included in the students fair, which was held from 28^th December to 3^rd January. Burma’s birds and nature society has displayed the photos and information of rare and endangered bird species and other environmental awareness materials at the booth.

·          Burma’s ministry of construction is planning to auction bridge toll collection licenses for highway bridges, for the 2005-2006 fiscal year. The government earns kyats 5 billion in 2004-2005 from toll collection license fees for the 73 bridges around the country. The bridge toll collection licenses are auction annually to private companies.

·          The government has auctioned licenses for toll collection at 103 highway tollbooths on 43 public highways around the country. Private companies have started collecting tolls on the public highways, starting from 1^st January.

·          FAO Library in Rangoon FAO office is open to the public for free, said the librarian at the library.