Authorities, farmers urged to implement contract farming in booming vineyards

Union Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Min Naung inspected vineyards in Ywatan Village-tract, Yamethin Township, Mandalay Region yesterday, and met with local farmers.

During the meeting, the Union minister said that in order to ensure national food security and stabilize commodity prices, the cultivation of paddy and major crops must be maintained without disruption in accordance with existing laws, rules, and procedures for land use. He added that along with paddy and other major crops, farmers who wish to grow income-generating crops such as grapes should be encouraged to cultivate them by making use of vacant, fallow, and virgin lands under the permitted rights and conditions.

The Union minister underlined that grape cultivation should not be limited to table grapes but should also include wine grapes for commercial production. He encouraged linking grape farmers with wine producers so that both sides could benefit through the contract farming system, which would contribute to the economic development of both farmers and entrepreneurs, thereby supporting the country’s economic growth. He also urged capable farmers to take the lead in implementing grape cultivation and production.

The Union minister further discussed the need to fully meet the designated annual acreage for cotton cultivation in the Yamethin area and to achieve the target yield per acre, urging local authorities, relevant departments, and farmers to cooperate in this effort.

Afterwards, relevant directors-general discussed sector-wise technical requirements that needed to be followed, while the Union minister and officials coordinated to address the matters raised by local farmers.

The Union minister and party then proceeded to the Laephyu Dam in Yamethin Township to inspect the silt deposits caused by Typhoon Yagi. They discussed repairing the dam with the Mandalay Region Government’s budget and the possibility of constructing a new dam in a more suitable location to reduce costs. They also observed water inflow to Kyeeni Lake and inspected the water distribution for drinking water and irrigation purposes in the surrounding areas.

MNA/KZL

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