THE Ministry of Commerce organized a videoconference yesterday to discuss a plan for promoting fish consumption in the country.

At the meeting, Union Minister for Commerce Dr Than Myint said that the Ministry would continue making great efforts to improve local fish consumption as fish exports are declining because of the COVID-19 crisis.

In the 2018-2019 financial year, the export of fishery products was US$732.156 million and in the financial year 2019- 2020, the amount increased to $858.869 million, according to the Union Minister, who said that the meeting was aimed at discussing how to collaboratively work to increase fish consumption because the export of fishery products including fishes was declining in the entire year of 2020 because of COVID-19 pandemic.

He continued that there are issues and inconveniences related to transportation and sales of fishery products during the COVID-19 crisis, so all stakeholders need to work to encourage local fish consumption in Myanmar collaboratively. He added that if the fishery sector can be implemented, as usual, it could become a very developed sector in two or three years.

He said that trade development activities must be carried out in the “New Normal” way during the period of COVID-19 pandemic.

The virtual meeting was participated by the Deputy Minister for Commerce; senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce; the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation; Taninthayi Region government; Yangon Region government; Mandalay Region government; Ayeyawady Region government; commercial attaches; Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Myanmar Fisheries Federation and other relevant organizations.

—MNA

(Translated by Maung Maung Swe)

Photo: MNA

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