Fishery exports from processing plants like the one above are expected to surge

Reposted from The Myanmar Times
By Aye Thidar Kyaw

Local exporters are scrambling to take advantage of Myanmar’s new access to the European market, with dozens of executives from the agriculture, manufacturing and fisheries industries gathering for a two-day seminar last week to learn how to ensure their products meet EU standards.

Daw Khine Khine Nwe, joint-secretary general of Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry – which organised the seminar on May 2 and 3 – pointed to Cambodia to show how preferential access to the EU could benefit exporters. “Cambodian officials say their export volume to EU countries increased about 66 percent since it received GSP access. We should try to do the same,” she said.

Federation president U Win Aung was more cautious, saying catching up with competitors would take time because Myanmar’s economic reform process was far from complete. New laws and policies are required, he said. More…