Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win addresses national-level food safety policy introduction and circulation ceremony
NAY PYI TAW April 27
A national-level food safety policy introduction and circulation ceremony took place at Myanmar International Convention Centre in Nay Pyi Taw at 9 am today, with an address by Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win.
Also present were SAC members Daw Aye Nu Sein, U Moung Har and Lt-Gen Soe Htut, Union ministers, deputy ministers, Nay Pyi Taw Council members,permanent secretaries, the chief of Myanmar Police Force, directors general, officials from related departments, invited guests and officials.
Delivering his address, the Vice-Senior General said the SAC is striving for national development with its two national objectives: national prosperity and food abundance. About 70 percent of the country’s population live in rural areas engaging in agricultural and livestock breeding undertakings as their livelihoods. The agricultural and livestock sector, the producer of food-stuffs, needs to try to produce basic foods meeting the set quality and standards.
In making value-added foodstuffs also, it is important to ensure the pres-cribed quality and standards at small-, mediumand large-scale industries.
Besides, systematic packaging of international standard is necessary for global market competition. The departments under the Ministry of Agriculture,Livestock and Irrigation are taking supervisory measures for agriculture and livestock farmers and producers to be able to boost their productivity in a safe way and manufacture their products in accord with good practices. Moreover, technology and recognition certificates are being provided for them to follow the good agriculture practices-GAP. By following the GAPs which are in line with safe and sustainable agricultural techniques, they will help conserve the environment. Thus, farmers will increase their income thereby contributing towards national socio-economy.
The Agriculture Department adopted a GAP guideline and GAP protocol in 2017 for 15 crop items. Till February 2022, 3,616 GAP-recognized certificates were issued for 56 crop items.
In addition, the National Standard Council approved Myanmar’s GAPs as a national standard.
Based on ASEAN standards, Myanmar’s organic standards have also been drawn up.
The Livestock and Veterinary Department have drawn and are implementing the nine standards of good livestock breeding practices to ensure safe and quality products.
Following these practices will help manufacture safe animal products. There will be benefits such as safe consumption, safe workplace in farms, no environmental impact, bio-security and formation of a market where produces are produced in accord with the good practices.
Across the nation, there are 27 livestock breeding zones and five mouth and foot disease control zones. Measures are being taken for breeding in accord with good practices, production, scrutiny and issuance of recognition certificates.
Nay Pyi Taw Council area, Mandalay Region, Yangon Region and Shan State has 44 GAHPrecognized farms. Meanwhile, animal healthcare services are being provided.
The Fisheries Department is trying to manufacture marine products in accordance with international standards. Myanmar is a member of ASEAN as well as of World Trade Organization.
It therefore needs to work in line with the ASEAN food control systems and safety conventions.
To ensure international techniques and standards in the fishery industry, rules have been adopted and after the issuance of notification No.8/2018. Management systems for food safety should also be followed.
We must pay attention to transportation methods, storage and distribution system as it is important for the public to have access to good quality and fresh food produced by the agriculture, livestock and fishery industries.
Vendors in wet markets and markets selling meat and fish need to be aware of food safety regulations and the responsible organizations need to provide continuous education and supervision.
It is also needed to increase education for food handlers to be able to cook food safely and systematically.
With the advent of changing lifestyles, most people also eat ready-to-eat and packaged foods instead of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and fish. Therefore, from the beginning of production of basic foodstuffs to the production of value-added foodstuffs, it must always be taken seriously in accordance with international standards. Most of the readytoeat foods consumed by the people in Myanmar come from small-scale industries, of which 4,265 out of 17,234 are small-scale products. We need to increase production of high quality and safe food products.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Ministry of Health has been screening not only local foodstuffs but also imported foodstuffs before marketing them and there are 1,056 certified food processing businesses and 2,368 certified drinking water businesses. Next, foods such as coffee, noodles and pickled tea leaves produced from Myanmar, are being scrutinized for export. The department provides staff development in line with the times, developing and approving local food standards and the guidelines of food safety laws, rules and regulations to be updated and published in accordance with the times.
Food and Drug Administration branches across the country are in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, General Administration Department; Myanmar Police Force, Ministry of Commerce, Department of Consumer Affairs and the Development Affairs Committee, to carry out monthly inspections of unsuitable food in the market. In doing so, it will protect consumers in one way or another by increasing legal action if food is found to be unsuitable for consumption.
Consumers can look at the ingredients in the food brand and choose the food that is right for their health. A “Ready-to-eat Food Labeling Order (8/2022)” has also been issued to identify and avoid expired food and to track the distribution of food products, which will partially prevent the health risks of oneself and one's family.
The Vice-Senior General also called on the Department of Public Health under the Ministry of Health to increase health education on unhealthy diets.
Efforts have been made to bring laws in line with international standards on food safety, but it has been a requirement.
Only a transparent and strong national food safety policy with a view to long-term interests can establish a system of sectorspecific division of responsibilities, as well as modern laws and policies in line with the policy. Therefore, the national food safety policy can be said to be a historical record of efforts to meet these needs. In addition to the goal of keeping consumers safe for the health of our people, this policy has to be formulated for the emergence of internationally relevant standards in each sector, the emergence of good production practices in agriculture and livestock and earning more foreign exchange for the state through exports.
As this policy has been laid down to be harmonious with the national-level principles of the World Food Association and the ASEAN on food safety control, it is to be implemented on a sector-wise basis, and each and every one is responsible. As there will be specific separation of duties in respective areas according to this policy, foodrelated health disadvantages could be prevented, and a trusted food market could be built as well. It is necessary to cooperate between the respective areas concerned to be able to successfully carry out the tasks.
In conclusion, only if foodstuff in the supply chain from plantations to consumers is safe and nutritious, will all the citizens be healthy and strong. For the emergence of a food export market, it is to boost production of quality foodstuff meeting international standards and competing in international markets. That will help create job opportunities in the country as well.
With healthy living and many job opportunities, there will be improvement in the socioeconomic life of the citizens, which will help work together for the interests of the Union keeping abreast internationally.
Therefore, all the people who are involved in implementing the national-level food safety policy and officials concerned, are urged to work together with a sense of taking responsibility and accountability until success of the tasks are achieved.
Then, the Vice-Senior General had a group photo taken together with the attendees after the documentary video on the food safety motto was shown.
Afterwards, the Vice-Senior General took a tour of the exhibition on introduction of nationallevel food safety policy and viewed the food and drug administration mobile laboratory.
Later, Union Minister for Health Dr Thet Khaing Win and Union Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Tin Htut Oo led the second session of the event in which the Director-General of FDA introduced the national-level food safety policy to the attendees. Officials of the Consumer Affairs Department participated in the second session.