Cold storage factories to be built with $4m World Bank loan

Cold storage factories to be built with $4m World Bank loan
A fish farm seen in Ayeyawady Region (Photo-Kyi Naing)
A fish farm seen in Ayeyawady Region (Photo-Kyi Naing)
Published 10 July 2020
Ei Thinzar Kyaw

US$4 million will be loaned from the World Bank to build cold storage factories for livestock products in Yangon, Bago and Ayeyawady Regions, said Dr Ye Tun Win, director general of the Livestock and Veterinary Department. 

He disclosed the information during a video conference between State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and departmental officials over the Covid-19 impact on Myanmar’s livestock sector. 

Dr Ye Tun Win said there was some loss and damage during the Covid-19 period with slow commodity flow as there are not enough cold storage factories, stressing the need to build new ones. Therefore, new cold storage factories would be built for those three reasons by seeking a WB loan of US$4 million. 

According to the Livestock and Veterinary Department, the neighbouring countries now have surpluses of livestock products, and animal products manufactured when diseases occurred and nearly expired products unfit for human consumption are entering Myanmar through illegal border routes. 

Myanmar Livestock Federation has listed and described animal products entering Myanmar illegally as live chicken (boilers and layers), meat chicks, frozen chicken, sausages, eggs and young pigs and pork and frozen pork.

The Livestock and Veterinary Department opened an animal disease control and monitoring center in Kutkai in northern Shan State in April 2019. 

The export value of livestock products ranged between US$4 million and 13 million from 2005-2006 fiscal year until 2017-2018 FY. 

After the government’s easing of policy restrictions, export of live cattle was allowed, and thanks to the cooperation of private livestock entrepreneurs, the export value in over one year jumped to US$562.859 million.