Development of Cotton Industry: Workshop on development of cotton-based industries

The second day of a workshop on the development of cotton-based industries and value-chain cost analysis was held at the Ministry of Industry in Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday.

Representatives from cotton growers, cotton mills, yarn manufacturers, textile and weaving businesses, and economic and policy groups presented their findings and discussed the challenges facing the cotton industry. The workshop identified 20 major challenges, three key findings and 21 recommendations across the cotton value chain.

Union Minister for Industry and MSME Development Dr. Charlie Than said the cost, output, waste, profits and losses at each stage must be clearly analyzed using reliable data. He said the current workshop was an initial step in understanding the cost structure of the cotton value chain.

More data will be collected, with further analysis to be conducted after 30 days and a more comprehensive final assessment after 90 days. The results will be used to identify weaknesses, strengths and needs in each sector and to develop appropriate policies and support measures for the cotton industry.