Description:
Abstract: "Creating a rice marketing system has been one of the central policy issues in
Myanmar?s move to a market economy since the end of the 1980s. Two liberalizations of rice
marketing were implemented in 1987 and 2003. This paper examines the essential aspects of
the liberalizations and the subsequent transformation of Myanmar?s rice marketing sector. It
attempts to bring into clearer focus the rationale of the government?s rice marketing reforms
which is to maintain a stable supply of rice at a low price to consumers. Under this rationale,
however, the state rice marketing sector continued to lose efficiency while the private sector
was allowed to develop on condition that it did not jeopardize the rationale of stable supply
at low price. The paper concludes that the prospect for the future development of the private
rice marketing sector is dim since a change in the rice market?s rationale is unlikely. Private
rice exporting is unlikely to be permitted, while the domestic market is approaching the
saturation point. Thus, there is little momentum for the private rice sector to undertake any
substantial expansion of investment."...
Keywords: Myanmar, rice, marketing system, liberalization
Source/publisher:
IDE Discussion Papaer No. 43
Date of Publication:
2005-12-00
Date of entry:
2006-07-16
Grouping:
- Individual Documents
Category:
Language:
English (available also in Japanese - ?)