The agriculture and livestock sectors rely on each other in the agriculture and livestock-based country, Myanmar. The successive production of feedstuffs supply chain and reduction of raw material export can make the fish/prawn prices stable.
Out of Myanmar’s marine products, 70 per cent of saltwater fish/prawn and 30 per cent of freshwater fish/prawn are exported and the country has 400,000 acres of freshwater farming and over 100,000 acres of saltwater farming. The people are more interested in freshwater farming for lowering water resources, fuel difficulties in fish and prawn capturing processes in the sea and other difficulties. It needs correct and systematic farming techniques.
The development of the fish farming industry needs quality fingerlings, feed, fish hatchery water treatment, management and market. According to the current market status, the entrepreneurs are eager for local production to meet the local consumption and export rather than capturing in the sea.
The feed is crucial in breeding farms and the by-products of winter sunflower, bean and summer paddy being cultivated under the arrangement of the government supporting the animal feed production. Therefore, the feed prices will be stable for having adequate raw materials in the country. As a consequence, the breeding industry can grab proper achievement for the price stability of fish and prawn in the marine product market and promote the State economy.
“The major thing we need to develop the breeding sector is feedstuff. If the raw material prices are high, the production rate can decline. The government provides the required materials to plant the sunflower and soybean more in the country without importing them from foreign countries. Then, we should expand the cultivation of paddy, beans and maize.
“We need bran to feed fish and prawns and maize for chicken. We need by-proctuct of soybean to maintain the protein of bran systematically. If we manage the imported animal feed and exported food raw materials, we can fulfil the required feed demand in the livestock sector. Therefore, there is a relationship between agriculture and livestock and if we have adequate feed demand, the livestock sector will develop as per the aims of the country,” said an official of the central executive committee of the Myanmar Fisheries Federation.
Moreover, it should draft special plans for the investors to ensure the local production of freshwater/saltwater fingerlings, species conservation and new species processing and hatchery. it should know well about the fish and prawn farming industries to meet the aims of the country and develop the country, agrochemicals such as financial assistance, techniques, transportation and electricity, and opportunities permitted by the Myanmar Investment Commission. The State economy can be promoted in a short period through effective long- and short-term projects to increase the numbers of investors and high techniques for feed production. — Nyein Thu (MNA)/KTZH
