Myanmar small businesses enhance their potential to export

“We will now be able to comply with high-end buyers’ requirements using our new packaging designs. The coaching helped us identify the areas for improvement in packaging and labelling,” says business owner Ms. Thet Mar Nyo.

Daw Thet Mar Nyo’s is rapidly progressing towards making her company, Golden Myanmar Honey Co., Ltd a brand to reckon with in the international market.

The business that is already exporting its honey to markets abroad, is now all set to capture the European market.

And in the Southern Shan province of Myanmar, U Khun Zaw deals in Avocado products.

He is inspired to bring his company Densilar Co., Ltd. to the list of successful exporters from Myanmar.

The training on various aspects of successful international trade has set him in the right direction.

“The coaching on export process, buyers’ quality concerns, packaging and labelling requirements, have inspired us to improve our Avocado products. We will be able to add value to our existing services,” he says.

Increasingly complex regulations and standards including export processes, customs formalities, and registration can be tough nuts to crack for small and medium sized businesses.

Transparent regulatory frameworks and increased capacities of the private sector to comply with cross-border requirements are crucial for modern local and international trade.

So far, 25 Myanmar MSMEs from the BPO, Tea, Coffee and Fruit sectors have benefitted from five batches of one-on-one coaching sessions organized through the Export Management Coaching Initiative (EMCI) of the European Union (EU) funded ARISE Plus Myanmar project implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC).

Business-owners from Yangon, Mandalay and Shan state have received support to resolve day-to-day problems faced in the management of their export operations, with a particular focus on women-led businesses.

This has helped in:

• Fostering the export capabilities of Myanmar MSMEs through targeted coaching on export management practices.
• Improving knowledge and compliance with cross-border requirements for Myanmar MSMEs.
• Improving the service offering of private sector association to further support MSMEs on export management.

By strengthening the export capabilities of MSMEs in Myanmar, the EMCI will improve the competitiveness of exporting businesses in the country and foster their integration within the ASEAN region. Increased confidence to engage in export operations can also boost trade diversification in the country since MSMEs will have the correct information and resources to explore different markets.

About the project

ARISE Plus Myanmar project is supporting the improvement of the overall business environment and the increased participation in global value chains for the selected sectors. With an aim to contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth, the project supports greater connectivity and economic integration between Myanmar and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in line with the ASEAN Economic Community ( AEC) Blueprint 2025.