Hluttaw to Discuss Ban on Cattle Export

MYANMAR - Parliament is to discuss a legislator’s proposal to ban the export of cattle used in seasonal cultivation.
calendar icon 31 July 2018
clock icon 2 minute read

Myanmar Times reports that the proposal was submitted on yesterday (Monday) to the Phyithu Hluttaw (lower house) by U Sein Win, who represents Maubin constituency in Ayeyarwady Region.

Farmers currently use cattle and tractors for cultivation at a ratio of about 25 to 1. But cattle are being exported to pay back loans and buy supplies for planting, as most farmers have a difficult time during the planting season, U Sein Win said.

The government is weak in renting out tractors to farmers, he said, and only cattle are able to plough flooded fields. But farmers cannot plant in time because of the sale of their cattle, he added.

“These delays in ploughing result in less production, food insecurity, and increasing prices of basic commodities,” said U Sein Win.

Allowing the export of buffalos and oxen without replacing them with tractors can cause long-term damage to agriculture and animal husbandry. Also, some breed of cattle are being exported that should instead be used for breeding purposes.

In moving from manual to mechanised agriculture, an improper transition period can cause food shortages in the country, so the export of these cattle must be stopped, said U Sein Win.

“Myanmar is second most vulnerable country in the world to climate change, so the government needs to support those practices that mitigate the adverse effects of climate change,” he said.

“Besides the government, every citizen has a duty to ensure food security. If we cannot loan farmers money to buy these machines and continue to export livestock, we won’t be able to grow our crops,” U Sein Win said.

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