Arakan small enterprise wins first place in local products contest

By Admin 30 Mar 2023

DMG Newsroom
30 March 2023, Sittwe

A nipa palm product manufactured in Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu won first prize in a national-level local products contest.

Owners of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) from across Myanmar participated in the contest with products in three categories — consumer goods, beauty products and foodstuffs. A business owner from Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu won first prize in the food category with his product, nipa palm bud.

Daw Hay Mar San, owner of Hein Shwe Yaung food manufacturing in Kyaukphyu, explained: “For example, weaving products and lacquerware are contested in the category of consumer goods. First, second and third prizes were given in each category. I won the first prize in the food category.”

Hein Shwe Yaung contested the small-scale industries manufacturing and packaging machine contest held in Naypyidaw from March 17-19. Hein Shwe Yaung produces 10 varieties of products including wine, cocktails, and jam using nipa palm buds. The company’s products are sold in Kyaukphyu, Manaung and Sittwe townships.

“I am happy that I won first prize among the contestants who are running factories and workshops. This prize means I have received recognition for my product. However, I still have financial constraints to distribute my products on a wide scale,” said Daw Hay Mar San.

Nipa palm grows along the coast in Arakan State, and the business of producing a variety of goods from nipa palm buds thrives in Arakan. But business owners like Daw Hay Mar San struggle to secure the funding necessary to expand their distribution networks.

Daw Aye Sandar, owner of the La Chan Mye nipa palm bud producer from Sittwe, said: “We have a business licence, but we still don’t get loans from the government. We, small-scale enterprises, need financial capital to distribute our products.”

The regime has promised to provide 10 billion kyats in loans for MSMEs in Arakan State, but business owners have yet to receive the loans.

The prominent Arakanese businessman U Khin Maung Gyi said 10 billion kyats is not enough.

“We can call MSMEs entrepreneurs. It is important that they can get an appropriate amount of loans with no strings attached. Ten billion kyats is a small amount and will not be a big help for MSMEs,” he said.