MoALI to cut soybean import in three years

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation will make efforts to ultimately lessen expeller soybean imports, which are required for processing animal feed in three years, said Dr Aung Gyi, Deputy Minister.
The ministry held a workshop related to the importation of veterinary medicines, feedstuff and pedigrees on 20 August in Nay Pyi Taw.
The Deputy minister, directors-general from the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, the Trade Department, Department of Consumer Affairs and representatives from Myanmar Livestock Federation, Myanmar Veterinary Medical Association, Myanmar Livestock Producers and Distributors Association, Myanmar Animal Feed Producers and Distributors Association, group of entrepreneurs for pedigree and livestock farming and importing companies and invitees attended the workshop.
The deputy minister remarked that the ministry is attempting to reduce expeller soybean imports, which are required as protein in feedstuff production, in three years and process soya bean meal as import substitution.
Myanmar has to import over 800,000 tonnes of raw expeller soybean from the US, Argentina, Africa and Thailand to meet growing domestic consumption requirements for feedstuff in poultry, fish and livestock farming. Feedstuff is primarily used in fish farming.
Soybean is utilized in making soy milk, dried soybean, fermented bean curd and various snacks locally. The soybean is primarily cultivated in southern Shan State and Ayeyawady, Sagaing and Mandalay regions, and it is also found in Chin State, Rakhine State, and Taninthayi Region. — NN/KK