Vice President U Myint Swe and officials cut the ceremonial ribbon to open the 8th MSMEs Product Exhibition & Competition in Mawlamyine, Mon State, yesterday. Photo: MNA
The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Work Committee (MSMEDWC) Chairman Vice President U Myint Swe addressed the opening ceremony of the 8th Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Product Exhibition & Competition (Mawlamyine) at the State Hall in Mawlamyine, Mon State yesterday morning.
The event was attended by MSMEDWC Vice Chairman Union Minister for Industry U Khin Maung Cho, committee members Kayin State Chief Minister Daw Nan Khin Htwe Myint, Mon State Chief Minister Dr. Aye Zan, Taninthayi Region Chief Minister Dr. Daw Lei Lei Maw, Mon State Hluttaw Speaker Daw Tin Ei, Mon State Chief Judge U Khin Maung Gyi, South East Command commander Maj-Gen Myo Moe Aung, Deputy Minister for Commerce U Aung Htoo, Kayin State, Taninthayi Region and Mon State ministers, state/region advocates and auditors, State Hluttaw representatives, heads of departments, organizations, experts and technicians, donors, MSME business owners and officials.
In his address to the event the Vice President said under the leadership of MSMEDWC MSMEs Product Exhibitions & Competitions were conducted in states and regions starting from February 2018. They have been held in Mandalay, Magway, Pathein, Taunggyi, Monywa, Bago and Yangon successfully.
This was the eighth such event which was jointly conducted for Kayin and Mon State. Next it would be held in Taninthayi and finally a national level product exhibition and competition with the participation of all states and regions would be held in the Union territory Nay Pyi Taw where National Awards will be presented.
The aim of holding exhibitions and competitions of regional products was to increase import substitution products; connecting local production sector with trading sector; to transform MSMEs from traditional family business to world standard products and services providers with innovation and entrepreneurship; expand markets and participate in the Global Value Chain.
This would be a special opportunity for local MSMEs as business persons, bankers, retailers, consumers and departmental officials come to check out the products of MSMEs in this sort of exhibition and competition.
MSMEDWC had arranged for MSMEs to meet and obtain advice and comments from market experts. As this was done in the past events, MSMEs were able to follow the advice and comments of the experts to improve the production and packaging. The result of this was that a total of 93 products of MSMEs, 25 from Shan State, 22 from Sagaing Region, 16 from Bago Region, 30 from Yangon Region were now being sold in well-known departmental stores.
In Kayin and Mon State agriculture products such as rubbers and fruits like durian and coconut were produced while in the mining sector, minerals such as lead and tins as well as slates were produced. Efforts must be made to value add these products and exporting it in addition to being used locally. Mon State is connected with a long coastline and aquatic products and cold storage works plays an important role.
The important fact that MSMEs need to look into is to use support materials, machineries and modern technologies.
Inputs required for businesses that have potentials and to implement projects are to be collected and prepared. Courses to produce skilled workers are required. Ministry of Industry is conducting mobile basic electrical courses for four weeks to train 80 skilled workers in Hpa-An town, Kayin State.
To raise capital for MSMEs, the Government was connecting with the government of Japan to conduct JICA Two Step Loan Phase II. JICA and the Ministry of Industry will hold a seminar in Mawlamyine on 18 December to inform the MSMEs about the requirements and processes of obtaining the loan.
MSMEs were to grasp the opportunities that were within reach. MSMEs needed to have the ability to show their strengths using strategies while providing products and services that the consumer prefers and requires. They were to accept the responses, information and suggestions from the market and strive toward achieving sustainable development so that they could be in the market for long.
The numerous religious buildings and structures, natural beauty, beaches, waterfalls, traditions of ethnic nationals are the other strengths of Kayin and Mon State that attracts travel and hotel business. Together with travel and hotel business, local foodstuffs, products, services and transport sector will also develop.
When local MSMEs succeed and develop, there’ll be more job opportunities for the people creating an environment where skilled labours from the region that were working abroad can return back to the region.
From the success and development of MSMEs resulting in increase in job opportunities, people’s socio-economic situation and livelihood will improve. All are urged to continue striving towards the establishment of successful MSMEs that fulfill market requirement, products and services said the Vice President.
Next, MSMEDWC members Kayin State Chief Minister Daw Nang Khin Htwe Myint and Mon State Chief Minister Dr. Aye Zan about the status of works conducted for the development of MSMEs in the states.
Afterwards Union Minister U Khin Maung Cho, Kayin State Chief Minister Daw Nang Khin Htwe Myint, Mon State Chief Minister Dr. Aye Zan, Taninthayi Region Chief Minister Dr. Daw Lei Lei Maw and Deputy Minister U Aung Htoo accepted donations made by companies and businesses to conduct the exhibition and competition and presented certificates of honor to the donors in return.
Later, officials from CB Bank presented bank loans to MSMEs.
Following this Vice President U Myint Swe and party attended the opening ceremony of 8th MSMEs Product Exhibition & Competition held at Strand Road, Mawlamyine.
At the opening ceremony Vice President U Myint Swe, Union Minister U Khin Maung Cho, Kayin State Chief Minister Daw Nan Khin Htwe Myint, Mon State Chief Minister Dr. Aye Zan, Taninthayi Region Chief Minister Dr. Daw Lei Lei Maw, Deputy Minister U Aung Htoo and Mon State minister for planning, finance, immigration and population U Wunna Kyaw cut the ceremonial ribbon and then posed for commemorative group photo with attendees.
After cutting the ceremonial ribbon Vice President U Myint Swe and party inspected the exhibits in the 8th MSME Product Exhibition & Competition.
After this the Vice President and party attended the opening ceremony of SME Center held at Small & Medium Industrial Development Bank (SMIDB) Mawlamyine branch.
At the event Vice President U Myin Swe, Union Minister U Khin Maung Cho, Mon State Chief Minister Dr. Aye Zan, South East Command commander Maj-Gen Myo Moe Aung, Deputy Minister U Aung Htoo, SMIDB Chief Executive Officer Dr. Zeya Nyunt unveiled the SME Center signboard and posed for commemorative group photo with attendees.
Afterwards they inspected the SMIDB branch. — MNA
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