Myanmar trade zone to up fish export to Bangladesh
Xinhua, Yangon
A trade zone has been set up in Myanmar's western border town of Maungtaw in Rakhine state linking Bangladesh to mainly export marine products to the neighbour, fishery business circle said yesterday.The Maungtaw border trade zone, formally opened in last weekend, will deal initially with the sale of prawn only, prawn traders said. According to official statistics, Myanmar exported 23,000 tons of marine products to Bangladesh annually, standing as Bangladesh's fifth largest marine products importing country out of 30. Meanwhile, the two countries are negotiating to extend the sale of Myanmar prawn directly to Chittagong, the sources added. In September 1995, Myanmar and Bangladesh initiated formal border trade at Maungtaw of Myanmar and Teknaf of Bangladesh. In January 2002, Bangladesh opened a river port at Teknaf in the southernmost of the country, providing the shortest river link with Maungtaw to facilitate their bilateral trade. Currently, Myanmar and Bangladesh are engaged more in border trade than normal trade. Besides marine products, Myanmar's exports to Bangladesh also cover beans and pulses and kitchen crops, while its imports from Bangladesh include pharmaceuticals, ceramic, cotton fabric, raw jute, kitchenware and cosmetic.
|
|
