Fishery factories in Myanmar will have to compete with experienced competitors in Thailand and Vietnam if they aim to conduct successful CMP (cutting, manufacturing, packaging) operations, say industry experts.
Domestic fisheries firms will also be obliged to improve the state of their factories and machinery, and their technological and transportation systems if they are to be competitive, they said.
We must consider whether each factory has enough capital to compete with rivals in foreign countries, said Tun Aye, the secretary of the Myanmar Fishery Products Processors and Exporters Association. We also must consider ways to improve electricity and water supply.
Currently, there are only five fisheries factories in Myanmar that run CMP operations.
To produce fishery products on a CMP basis, we must cut costs, said Myo Nyunt, the managing director of General Food Technology Industry Co Ltd. Electrical shortages mean we have to employ generators. We are currently not able to both pay wages and make profits.
Fisheries exporter Win Maung said that to compete with factories in Vietnam and Thailand, shipping costs also have to be factored in.
The transportation of a 20-foot high container loaded with fishery products from Myanmar to Japan costs around US$3,000. However, it only costs the Thais and Vietnamese about $1,500, he said.
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