Vice President U Henry Van Thio inspects elephant conservation camp

 February 27, 2018

Vice President U Henry Van Thio inspected the Shan Yoma elephant conservation camp in southern Shan State, the Sane Le Valley elephant conservation camp and Yadana Grape Plantation in Mandalay Region and the Tatkon Agriculture Research Central Plantation yesterday.

 

U Henry Van Thio, accompanied by Union Minister U Ohn Win, Permanent Secretaries Dr. Tin Htut and U Yi Mon and other officials arrived at the Shan Yoma elephant conservation camp near Nant Pan Tat village, Kalaw Township yesterday morning and were welcomed by Shan State ministers and officials.

The Vice President viewed elephant conservation works as Shan State minister Dr. Nyi Nyi Aung and officials provided explanations.

At the next venue, U Henry Van Thio, Union Minister U Ohn Win, state ministers and other officials planted pine trees.

The Vice President and party were then informed about the Shan Yoma elephant conservation camp, the Shan Yoma elephant recreation camp, services provided in the camp and the expansion programme by Myanma Timber Enterprise Managing Director U Saw John Shwe Ba in the camp briefing hall.

The Vice President commented on successfully implementing the aims of the camps, and how the roads were upgraded into all-weather roads, how the camp was transformed into a nature-based travel business and how to ensure that the camps are known internationally.

The Vice President then toured the Shan Yoma elephant conservation camp. The 900-acre elephant conservation camp is near Nant Pan Tat village at the 54/3 mile post on the Meiktila-Taunggyi Road. It was set up with an aim to generate income for the country through green business, create employment opportunities for staff and families who worked with elephants, for the public to learn of elephant conservation works conducted by Myanma Timber Enterprise, for the public to participate in the nature conservation works conducted by elephant conservation camps, to develop the nature-based travel business in Myanmar and for the sustainable long-term survival of Myanma Timber Enterprise elephants. The Shan Yoma elephant recreation camp was opened on 13 February.

Afterwards, the Vice President and party arrived to Green (Sane Le) Hill Valley elephant conservation camp and were welcomed by camp manager Dr. Tin Win Maw in the Main Camp.

This was followed by Vice President U Henry Van Thio viewing the work of using elephant waste and then toured the Green Hill Valley.

The camp was established in 2012 for families of Myanma Timber Enterprise to take care of retired logging elephants, to share knowledge about elephant conservation and for visitors to participate in elephant care and conservation works, it is learnt.

The Vice President and party then arrived at Yadana Grape Plantation (1) in Se Htate Village, Yamethin Township, Mandalay Region, where they were welcomed and informed about the grape plantation works by (Mandalay) region minister Dr. Soe Than, plantation owner U Chit Phi and officials.

The Vice President commented on the explanations to expand the planting of grapes as it is an economically viable fruit for planters, to establish a firm grape market, wine factory and to produce value-added products.

The Vice President and party continue on to Takon Agriculture Research Central Plantation, where they were briefed about the plantation in the briefing hall by Permanent Secretary Dr. Tin Htut, Director General Dr. YeTint Tun and Deputy Director General U Than Lwin Oo.

Responding to the briefing, the Vice President remarked on setting up more agricultural research plantations in states and regions, ensuring the establishment of organic agriculture systems, value-adding the region’s products and exporting and selling internationally, constructing adequate cold storage to conserve the fruits and to coordinate with the private sector in distributing and selling the seeds produced.

After this, the Vice President observed the production of hybrid corn seeds on 60 acres of land and toured the agriculture research plantation.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar