The Myanmar government is studying the status and the need of the country's 19 industrial zones run by the private sector, deliberating to offer assistance to the zones for better development, industrial entrepreneurs said on Monday.

The study, being conducted by the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) of the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development, will take one month to cover the zones, CSO officials said, adding that based on the findings, the assistance will be provided to the zones by the government's Industrial Development Committee (IDC).

The survey on the industrial zones in Myanmar, which is the second since 2003, covers enterprises' productivity, raw material demand, electric power supply, fuel consumption, machine-running and workers' skill.

As part of its plan of industrial development, Myanmar established the 19 industrial zones across the country with a total of 9,574 industrial enterprises in operation which include small, medium and heavy industries.

Of them, the small industrial enterprises are dominating with 57.48 percent, while the medium ones 25.24 percent and heavy ones 17.28 percent, according to the IDC.

Meanwhile, under the Ayeyawaddy-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) agreed by Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand in November 2003, three proposed industrial zones respectively in Myanmar's Myawaddy and Hpa-an in southeastern Kayin state and Mawlamyine in southern Mon state is to be implemented. Of them, the 173-hectare Myawaddy industrial zone project is reportedly to be dealt with first.

Moreover, another plan of developing an exceptional industrial zone, which is the Thilawa Special Industrial Zone in Yangon's Thanlyin township, is expected to be the first prospective full foreign investment zone of its kind governed by a special law to be introduced soon to attract foreign investment.

According to official statistics, Myanmar's industrial sector contributed 17.5 percent to the gross domestic product of the nation in the fiscal year 2005-06 which ended in March and a 19 percent contribution is targeted for 2006-07.

Private sector's contribution to the industrial sector stands at 92.36 percent, statistics also show.

Source: Xinhua