NEWS - Over 171,300 Hectares for en

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Subject: NEWS - Over 171,300 Hectares for environmental destruction in Burma

Over 171,300 Hectares Granted for Private Farming in Myanmar

            Xinhua
            19-JAN-99

            YANGON (Jan. 19) XINHUA - A total of 171,307 hectares of
            reclaimed vacant, fallow and virgin land as well as wetlands
            in Myanmar's three divisions have been granted by the
            government to local private entrepreneurs for extended
            cultivation. 

            The three divisions, where the entrepreneurs began their
            cultivation of various crops this month, are Yangon, Magwe
            and Ayeyawaddy. 

            Other states and divisions are expected to follow suit.
There
            are more than 8.9 million hectares of such land in the
            country reportedly remaining to be reclaimed. 

            The Myanmar government is encouraging domestic private
            entrepreneurs to invest more in agriculture, which is the
            mainstay of the country's economy. 

            According to official statistics, in the 1997-98 fiscal
year,
            fallow land in Myanmar came to 1.1 million hectares and
            cultivable wasteland 7.89 million hectares. 

            The country expanded cultivated land to 12.51 million
            hectares in the year, 185,540 hectares more than the
            previous year. 

            Myanmar's paddy production fell from 19 million tons in
            1995-96 to 17.66 million tons in 1996-97 and then to 17.3
            million tons in 1997-98 with its rice exports reducing from
            354,000 tons to 93,100 tons and then to 28,300 tons
            correspondingly. 

            On the other hand, the country's population is estimated to
            have reached 46.4 million in 1997-98, growing by 1.84
            percent annually. 

            In view of these facts, Myanmar is reclaiming more land for
            cultivation. 

            Myanmar's agriculture, accounting for 36 percent of the
            gross domestic product and 35 percent of export value, grew
            by 2.9 percent in output value in the fiscal year.