Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)

Guwahahti, Nov. 26, 02: After incurring huge ongoing revenue losses due to overseas manufactured goods illegally flowing across the Indo-Burma border, it seems that the Indian Commerce Ministry is now breathing a small sigh of relief.  Indian agricultural products have reversed the flow of revenue by hitting the Burmese markets over the last couple of years.  And the figures indicate that the volume of export to Burma has been steadily increasing.

According to statistics gathered by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the export figure of agricultural products with Burma during 1999 was recorded at Rs 3 crore (US$ 620 000), while in 2001 it stood at over Rs 7 crore (US$ 1.45 million).  The export figures for 2002 thus far have been recorded at Rs11.18 crore (US$ 2.32 million).  During this period, Indian traders have exported various items including fruit and vegetable seeds, fresh mangoes, pickles, buffalo meat, poultry products, cocoa products, basmati rice and cereal products.

"Our agricultural products have dominated the Burmese markets due to their quality, and keep in view that we are planning to produce and export different items as per demand within Burma", an official source told this correspondent today. The APEDA representative went on to say that while Indian vegetable seeds have been in high demand in the world market in general, these seeds have been particularly popular in Burma.  "Apart from vegetable seeds, buffalo meat and poultry products have also been popular in the Burmese markets. In view of a growing demand for poultry products, we have set a high target", he said, adding that during 1999 about 545 metric tons (MT) of poultry products were supplied and in 2000-2001 the export of poultry products had touched 743 MT.

Expressing satisfaction over the increasing volume of export from India to Burma, the APEDA official stated that if the trend continued, then Burma would become a major market for India.

The APEDA has been encouraging growers and traders in North East India to export apples and pineapples to Burma. The North Eastern Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, both of which share a border with Burma, have been under pressure to maximise their apple and pineapple production.  The APEDA has been supporting growers in adopting a scientific farming methodology in order to produce high quality fruit that can then be used to tap the Burmese markets.

The APEDA source said that the authorities should take a pragmatic step towards creating a legal trading channel with Burma, a move that would benefit the country in the long term.

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