Workers move boxes of processed seafood for export at the Grand Wynn Enterprise seafood factory in Thaketa township. Pic: Hein Latt Aung

LESS than half of fisheries factories in Yangon want to participate in a government plan to give them exclusive power supplies that are designed to help the industry maintain production over the dry summer months when blackouts are common, according to the Myanmar Fishery Federation.

MFF vice chairman U Han Tan said 43 of the city’s 80 fishery processing plants responded to the federation’s call for applications after the Department of Fisheries and the Yangon Electricity Supply Board announced they were willing to provide the factories 24-hour power through yet-to-be built substations.

The government is promoting the scheme – the cost of which must be met entirely by the private company’s that sign on to the project – to help the industry meet a greatly exaggerated export target of US$750 million for the 2007-08 financial year. By keeping factories running it is hoped production will be expanded to increase exports beyond the $460 million the industry earned in 2006-07.

Of the 43 factories that provided replies to the MFF, 17 said they would have no problem paying the full cost for the power connections to be established, provided they then receive uninterrupted electricity supplies, U Han Tun said.

The YESB is now to calculate costs for specific factories.
U Soe Win, patron of the MFF, said the 37 Yangon fishery factories that did not respond to the offer are still being encouraged to do so, as are eight animal feed plants.

However, he urged companies to submit their proposals as soon as possible.
“Officials are fulfilling the needs of businesses. It is a waste of time waiting for people who are not willing to participate,” he said.

“If we wait a long time, those factories that need the electricity right away end up missing out.”