The Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar should smoothen the flow of crops from farms to domestic users as well as to the country's ports and border trade points as COVID-19 continues to wreak uncertainty in the market, said Minister of Commerce U Than Myint.
A system to ensure locally produced fruits like watermelons, muskmelons, oranges and tomatoes is delivered to buyers should be in place before the coming winter harvest, and the Ministry of Commerce has already contacted the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation to smoothen the logistics for these crops.
There have also been challenges in ensuring perishable crops and fruits are delivered to local outlets in a timely manner, as there is a lack of storage capacity and restrictions imposed on the flow of logistics, such as curfews.
The difficulty is in transportation. Challenges arise when truck drivers who travel regionally delivering goods are forced to take COVID-19 tests every 72 hours," U Kyaw Thu, member of Myanmar Fruit, Flower and Vegetable Producer and Exporter Association told the Myanmar Times.
He added that traffic congestion and delays are expected to increase in the winter season. "On the way to Muse, trucks have to line up for two or three days. Although a green lane has been implemented between Myanmar and China for fruits and perishable goods, the current infrastructure and arrangements will not be sufficient when volumes rise in winter; he told mmtimes.com.
