YANGON, March 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Myanmar produced over 830 million
baskets (17.347 million tons ) of paddy in the fiscal year of 2001-
2002 ending March out of 15.45 million acres, according to the
latest figures released by the Myanmar Ministry of Agriculture and
Irrigation.
   The paddy production in the fiscal year was 3.553 million tons
or 17 percent less than the previous fiscal year, while the
cultivated area of the crop also went down by 0.26 million acres
or 1.65 percent from the previous fiscal year.
   Myanmar set an annual target of producing 1,000 million baskets
(20.9 million tons ) of paddy out of 18 million acres grown
including monsoon and summer paddy.
   Myanmar was a great exporter of rice, exporting over one
million tons in the 1950s. After 1988, rice was not exported to
ensure domestic sufficiency and Myanmar's foreign rice market was
almost lost.
   In recent years, the country exported rice to gain foreign
exchange, while ensuring domestic demand.
   According to official statistics, Myanmar exported 557,900 tons
in the first 10 months of 2001 and its foreign exchange earned
during the period amounted to 64.44 million U.S. dollars.
   Myanmar's cultivated land stretches 18.225 million hectares, of
which sown area has reached 15.04 million hectares.
   The country's agriculture accounts for 42 percent of its gross
domestic product and 25 percent of its export value.  Enditem