A regional perspective on poverty in Myanmar - United Nations ...

Poverty in Myanmar 50
the requirements of the markets. Tea picking is a low paid and highly seasonal job, but it could
provide additional incomes to poor. Further potentials for agricultural and industrial development
are seen in sugar production, for which the achievement of scale economies is substantial, and in the
North and the border areas rubber plantations.
Shan State is also well suited for livestock. Land is available, there just appears to be a necessity to
reassess the grazing land, whose demarcation dates back to the British colonial government.
Built upon the existing mineral deposit of the State, a cement industry for the expected construction
boom should be fostered, as well as pig iron industry and low grade coal mining.
Further advancing from these comparatively low value added industries, Shan could exploit its
locational positioning at the cross of four important Asian Highway Routes. These routes will not
necessarily convert Shan into a trading hub, but allow its industries to access markets in Thailand,
India (Highway AH1/2) and China (Highway AH2/3/14). Its industrial development should therefore
be oriented towards the demands in these nations, and towards input products and the potential
competition from them.
As in all other S/R, the Government needs to provide the enabling conditions for the economy to
develop, including hard and soft infrastructure (roads, electricity, institutions, regulations) and
supporting services.