Furniture Export: Impossible Until Current Policies Reviewed

November 3, 2016

Myanmar is not ready to export furniture products even to ASEAN countries, due to the restriction on export market and taxation, Myanmar Forest Products leaders pointed out at the meeting of working committee of the ASEAN Furniture Industries Council in Yangon on Thursday. 

The restriction on raw materials affected production. Myanmar’s export of furniture products ended in 2007. 

To be able to expand again to the furniture market overseas, the government needs to review current rules and regulations, Vice President of the Myanmar Forest Products and Merchants Federation said.

VICE PRESIDENT, MYANMAR FOREST PRODUCTS & MERCHANTS FEDERATION, KYAW KYAW WIN: Restriction on the raw materials like woods directly results to less production and less production affects workers. In addition to the problem of not being able to export our products, 90% of products in the local market are from China and Thailand. So the government should review the Furniture industries and the current rules and regulations.

The meeting also discussed the implementation of the ASEAN Furniture Industrial Hub. Myanmar and members will sign the Memorandum of Understanding Thursday, U Kyaw Kyaw Win said.

VICE PRESIDENT, MYANMAR FOREST PRODUCTS & MERCHANTS FEDERATION, KYAW KYAW WIN: Today we will sign the MOU to implement the ASEAN Furniture Industrial Hub. We will have to provide the infrastructure and they will provide the technology, equipment, finance and also create market. 

The results of the meeting will be submitted to the government and the federation has plans to discuss with the government on the current rules and regulation of the forest products sector.

Ref; mitv News