Myanmar will try to boost production of high-yield fruits and vegetables to boost export by taking the advantage of the fair climatic conditions and geographic superiority of the country, an official Myanmar newspaper said on Saturday.

The expanded production of quality fruits and vegetables will not only satisfy domestic demand but also generate foreign exchange earnings, thereby contributing to enhancing the socio- economic life of the entire people, the New Light of Myanmar said.

According to the paper, there are 100 kinds of kitchen crops including over 70 kinds of fruits produced by Myanmar along with vegetables.

Sown areas of fruit trees have reached 729,000 hectares in Myanmar, while that of vegetable 405,000 hectares and that of kitchen crops such as chilli, onion and potato 263,250 hectares, the paper said.

The paper disclosed that in 2006, Myanmar exported over 20,600 tons of mangoes, 16,000 tons of cucumber , 4,000 tons of tamarind, 73,000 tons of watermelons and 3,200 tons of plum.

Myanmar is rich with tropical fruit resources such as mango, banana, pine-apple, strawberry, durian, mangosteen, papaya, tamarind, coconut and so on.

Meanwhile, Myanmar is making feasibility study to set up an international-level fruit and vegetable sale center, aimed at promoting export and consumption of fresh and quality fruit and vegetable in the country, fruit traders said.

Source: Xinhua