Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than presents prizes to winners in paddy transplanting competition in Ayeyawady Division

YANGON, 3 Aug - Member of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than of the Ministry of Defence attended the monsoon paddy transplanting competition in Migyaungtaya Village, Kangyidaunt Township, Pathein District yesterday. Next, Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than delivered an address at the completion of ploughing for monsoon paddy cultivation at the time of sufficient water and rain for 2003-2004 and presented prizes to winners in the paddy transplanting competition.

Also present were Chairman of Ayeyawady Division Peace and Development Council Commander of South-West Command Maj-Gen Htay Oo, Deputy Commander Brig-Gen Tint Swe, local authorities, officials and paddy transplanters totalling 2,283.

Speaking on the occasion, Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than said that Ayeyawady Division is in the top position among six divisions which cultivate largest acres of paddy for development of the national economy. Continued efforts are to be made for boosting the per acre yield of monsoon paddy to 100 baskets and above in accord with the guidance of the Head of State.

After monsoon paddy, preparations are to be made for putting over 1.6 million acres of land under summer paddy, over 1.3 million acres under pulses and beans, over 400,000 million acres under edible oil crops and over 80,000 acres under maize in Ayeyawady Division. Efforts are to be made for boosting per-acres yield.

Over 1.6 million of summer and monsoon paddy were cultivated in the entire nation. In Ayeyawady Division, five million acres of summer and monsoon paddy, one-third of the sown acreage in the entire country could be cultivated.

In the fish and meat sector, 60,000 acres of fresh water fish pond should extend to 80,000 acres of ponds; existing 36,000 acres of prawn ponds are also carried out systematically and to be extended; in addition, efforts are to be made for extending fishery task and breeding poultry farming.

Altogether 11 dams and sluice gates have been built and 22 are under construction in the division. Moreover, 39 bridges which are 180 feet long and above have been opened and Pyapon River Bridge and Ngawun River Bridge (Pathein) are being built.

Next, the commander gave a speech. Manager U Hla Myo of Ayeyawady Division Myanma Agriculture Service reported on cultivation of monsoon paddy applying four ways to boost per-acre yield and dissemimation agricultural technology to local farmers. Next, Head of Ayeyawady Division Settlement and Land Records Department U Aung Tin Myint presented the report on monsoon cultivation to the commander.

Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than presented prizes to respective paddy transplanting teams of Kangyidaunt Township. The commander and officials also gave away prizes to the winning teams.

Ayeyawady Division has cultivated over 1.7 million acres of quality strain, about 600,000 acres of high yield strain and 1 million acres of domestic paddy strain against 3,376,320 acres of monsoon paddy for 2003-2004.

The division has put 3,114,634 acres of land under monsoon paddy or 92.25 per cent and the division will cultivate monsoon paddy to exceed the target of 3,376,320 acres of land. After the ceremony, Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than, the commander and officials viewed fertilizers and agricultural machinery displayed by Myanma Agriculture Service and companies.