Ministry of Commerce (Myanmar)


The Ministry of Commerce is the Burmese government agency plays a vital role in transformation process of the implementation of market oriented economic system. Its Headquarters is located at Building 3 and 52, Nay Pyi Taw, in Myanmar.

Departmental bodies

Since the time of independence in 1948 up to 1962, the foreign trade had been conducted by the following boards and corporations.
In 1964, the wholesales shops, broker houses, companies, departmental stores and warehouses all over the country were nationalised. In 1965, the Trade Council was established and the following trade organisations had been set up under the Ministry of Trade.
In 1976, in accordance with the economic policy of the Burma Socialist Programme Party the trade organisations had been reformed as follows,
In 1989 to be in line with the changing economic system the Department of Trade was changed as the Directorate of Trade with extended functions and responsibilities.
In 1989–90 the following domestic and foreign joint ventures were set up and operated.

Domestic joint ventures

In 1992, the Hotel and Tourism Corporation was upgraded to Ministry level and the relevant organisations, the Foodstuff and Beverages Enterprise and Hotel and Tourism Services have been transferred to the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism.
In 1993 Company Registration Office, Companies Control Department and the international Organisation Sections under the Directorate of Trade were transferred to the newly established Ministry, the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development.
In 1996 the Ministry of Trade was transformed as the Ministry of Commerce with a view to implement the economic activities for the development of national economy.
In 1996 the Ministry of Commerce has established the Department of Border Trade and now it is with 10 branch offices at the relevant borders of the neighbouring countries.
In 1997 the International Organisation Section including WTO has been retransferred from the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development to the Ministry of Commerce.

Re-organisational activities under the Ministry of Commerce

Since 1998, six trading organisations and two service enterprises under the Ministry of Commerce have been abolished. The domestic and foreign joint ventures were also abolished except Myanmar Citizens' Bank Ltd. and Myanmar Inspection and Testing Services Ltd..
The Ministry of Commerce laid down the motto of Advance Forward Through Commerce and it has been conducting various activities for the development of the national economy. The Ministry of Commerce has also restructured the following departments to be in line with the adopted market oriented economy since 1 April 1998.
There were the following departments
Department of Consumer Affairs was established on 1 April 2016. There were the following divisions,
Border Trade PointsOpening DateArea
Muse mile12 January 1998Myanmar-China
Lweje23 August 1998Myanmar-China
Chinshwehaw19 October 2003Myanmar-China
Laiza25 December 2003Myanmar-China
Techilelk16 March 1996Myanmar-Thailand
Myawaddy16 September 1998Myanmar-Thailand
Kawthoung1 June 1996Myanmar-Thailand
Myeik1 July 1999Myanmar-Thailand
Tamu12 April 1996Myanmar-India
Rhi10 December 2003Myanmar-India
Sittwe10 December 1998Myanmar-Bangladesh
Maungdaw5 September 1995Myanmar-Bangladesh

Unofficial border trade points

Myanmar Agricultural Produce Trading

Myanma Agricultural Produce Trading is a government organisation under the Ministry of Commerce.
MAPT has laid down the following six main objectives:-
Managing Director is the head of MAPT.
Under Myanmar Agricultural Produce Trading, there were the following department
Within the organisational set-up of MAPT, there are 4 functional departments as follow:-
Warehousing, Handling and Export Department
Grain Department
Milling, Engineering & Bran Oil Mills Department
Administration Department
Post-harvest Technology Application Centre under MAPT undertakes the post-harvest activities, research, development and extension works especially food grain, fruits and vegetables and issuance of certificate relating to quality of crops and analytical results of Chemical compositions, pesticides residues, Aflatoxins etc.
What does MAPT do?
MAPT is rendering its assistance to private sector in the following activities.
Extends its fullest co-operations relating to exports of grains and imports of commodity from abroad.
Assists to obtain the quick result relating to various laboratory test.
Provides necessary assistance for rice milling industry and oil processing industry.
Operations
MAPT assists the following steps relating to export business that is allowed by the State to private sector especially grains exports, export of new commodities and import business as well:-
undertakes the various steps of exporting business commencing from searching the markets for export commodities to final negotiation stage of the shipping documents.
renders its services to be smooth flow of the every processing step relating to import business.
undertakes all necessary steps relating to shipment of export commodities.
Carry out the rental services for warehouses if it is necessary.
undertakes pest control services for storage of grains.
assists necessary works to producers to become successful exporters.
MAPT undertakes the following activities relating to the inspection services of exported goods and imported goods.
conducts the preshipment inspection of commodities for export and inspection of imported commodities relating to quality / specifications, quantity, weight, measurement, packing and marking etc.
issues the certificate of laboratory analysis and testing.
conducts inspection and surveying services for exporters and importers with reasonable service charges for mutual benefits.
MAPT undertakes laboratory analysis and testing of soil and water, quality of food grains and extends technical assistance on post-harvest technology.
conducts services relating to analysis and testing of soil and water.
undertakes analysis works relating to physical quality of the food grains, milling quality, fibre contents, contents of dust, husk, sand and other admixture, contents of discoloured grains etc.
undertakes analysis and testing of qualities of foodgrains such as moisture content, composition of ash, protein, starch / carbohydrate, fibre and other chemical composition etc.
undertakes analysis and testing on contamination of aflatoxin.
undertakes analysis and testing of quality of oil and oil crops, colour condition, specific gravity, oil colour test, cloud point, moisture content, fat, acidity etc.
extends technical assistance on pest control services.
MAPT undertakes the following services relating to milling of the rice, construction and maintenance of rice mills.
conducts following rice milling activities for effective improvement in quality with reasonable affordable charger.
milling paddy to white rice
milling brown rice to white rice
remilling of rice
recleaning of rice and broken rice
milling paddy to brown rice
assists private entrepreneurs who wish to construct new rice mills, improving develop the exifay rice mill and maintenance of existing rice mill.
manufactures and sales the mobile and low-cost small rice mills.
assists privade sector in rice milling technology.
MAPT undertakes the following services relating to edible rice bran oil mills.
there are other companies Such as M/s. Sundex Process Engineers Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, Helping to set up the complete projects for rice Bran Oil Processing On turnkey basis along with consultancy for production of Refined Rice Bran oil.
conducts nrocorry of edible rice bran oil with reasonable charges.
conducts services of removing the colour, odour from various types of edible oil and purity of oil.
conducts services of extracting oil from soyabeans, purifying raw palm oil & oil extracting from expelled cakes by using the chemical solvent extraction method.
MAPT undertakes the following machinery installation services to upgrade the quality of food
grains : –
cleaning machines of paddy and beans
drying machines of paddy and other grain.
MAPT also renders the following engineering services : –
converts system of diesel engine cars, petrol engine cars and LPG cars to CNG system.
conducts services on design modern or concentrated warehouses designs.
conducts consultancy services relating to drawing of building design, estimating the cost for construction of rice mills, bran oil mills.

Ministers for Commerce