THE Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Brigadier General Maung Maung Thein, said on November 17 that the amount of processed fisheries products stockpiled by various exporters was worth about US$100 million.

The minister was speaking at a meeting of the Myanmar Fisheries Federation at its headquarters in Bayintnaung Road, Insein township.

“I asked the Department of Fisheries to check the factories and calculate the value of the exportable stock.

“We found out that there is about 16,000 tonnes of finished processed product that’s worth about $100 million and ready to be exported,” he said.

“We have to try hard to increase our export volume as the Christmas and Chinese New Year season is approaching, a time when we are used to seeing our exports increase,” said the minister.

He said although fisheries exports had slowed, the situation would return to normal in a few weeks.

Exporters shared his optimism that the situation will only be temporary and trade will be normal in December, which would help to reduce their cold storage costs.

The minister said the government is considering measures to ease difficulties facing exporters and importers in all sectors, including fisheries, but did not elaborate.

“While the government is doing its best to help businesses, entrepreneurs should also try their best,” Brig Gen Maung Maung Thein said.

Exports of fisheries products from April to November earned Myanmar about $327 million, an increase of about $35 million on the same period last year, departmental figures show.

The government target for fisheries exports in the fiscal year ending next March 31 is $750 million.