Union Minister U Min Naung stated that farmers will receive fuel assistance from ASEAN countries to operate harvesters.

He made the remarks while participating in the Special Meeting of ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry on the latest situation in the Middle East, which was held online by the Philippines, the rotating chairman of ASEAN, on April 29.

The Union Minister called for close cooperation among ASEAN member countries to overcome the challenges of food security and energy security that may arise due to the current conflicts in the Middle East. While Myanmar is using the remaining fuel and fertilizers in the current summer crop production, production has not been significantly affected, but fuel and fertilizer problems may arise in the coming rainy season crop production. To overcome these challenges, Myanmar will keep agricultural fuel reserves and distribute them to farmers at affordable prices, and will receive fuel assistance from ASEAN countries and work to use harvesting and threshing machines. It is accelerating the distribution of technologies to provide equitable distribution of fertilizer needs among ASEAN countries and the use of organic fertilizers as an alternative.

Myanmar supports the promotion of the ASEAN-wide emergency rice reserve system to further strengthen regional food security, sharing information through an information system, and promoting open trade under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement. He stressed the need for ASEAN countries to work together with all member states to ensure food security not only for their own country but also for the entire ASEAN community, and to cooperate with each other in the spirit of ASEAN.

The meeting discussed the report of the Special Meeting of Senior Officials held on April 23 regarding the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, and approved the joint press release of the Special Meeting of ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry.

The meeting was attended by ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry, senior officials, representatives of the ASEAN Food Security Information System Secretariat and the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve Secretariat, representatives led by the Deputy Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat, officials and subject matter experts.

The meeting aimed to exchange views and discuss the current food security situation, preparedness, current approaches, policy processes and strategic responses to enhance ASEAN food security, soil and water cooperation and coordination.