Inspection Tour: Union Minister Met With Potato Farmers In Shan State

The Union Minister for Agriculture, livestock and irrigation U Tin Htut Oo met with the Heho  Potato Association and Naungtaya  Potato Growing Farmers Association in Helo, Shan State on June 27.

The chairmen and representatives of Heho  Potato Association and Naungtaya  Potato Growing Farmers Association attended the meeting and reported the status of potato growing, storage of potato seeds and the future plans including tax exemption for potato seeds importing, regulating potato imports from abroad for the consumption and receiving loan for potato farms.

At the meeting, the Union Minister said for the production of high quality potatoes, it is necessary to coordinate for the collaboration of department-owned labs, agricultural farms and private sector to produce high quality potato seeds.

By utilizing tissue culture techniques, the assistance will be provided for the private sector to enable to produce commercial scale seed production, store, distribute and to extensively sell in the long run. During the inspection tour in Shan State for the development of agricultural sector, the union minister inspected specific land to establish of vegetable wholesale markets, drying agricultural products, storage and production of value-added products in Aungban  and Helo  region.

Similarly, the union minister observed the construction sites of Helo  Potato Company’s cold storage, agricultural products process center and cold storage of agriculture department in Naungtaya.