THE Myanmar Rice Millers Association (MRMA) has announced plans to send a delegation to the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) in Nanning to investigate the potential for rice exports.

The delegation will also use the October 28-31 expo in the capital of China’s Guangxi Autonomous Region as an opportunity to make contacts for agricultural machinery imports, especially rice mill parts, MRMA spokesman U Win Aye Pe said.

“We will send 20 of our rice mill owners to Nanning to find out ways to import sophisticated rice mill units and spare parts. They will also take with them 10 different strains of export-quality rice to find buyers,” U Win Aye Pe said.

“The Nanning trade fair is an opportunity for us to find clients for our future rice export business because all 10 ASEAN members will be attending as well as Japan and South Korea,” he added.

The MRMA is seeking to dominate Myanmar rice exports through the formation of a new publicly traded company. It hopes to raise K5 billion through the sale of 50,000 shares.

U Zaw Min Win, vice president of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said on September 10 that 200-250 traders from Myanmar would attend the China-ASEAN Expo.

Myanmar products will be displayed in seven pavilions, one each for agriculture, fisheries, forestry, industry, tourism, investment opportunities and cooperative ventures.