Myanmar leader calls for development of gems market
Xinhua / November 06, 2007

The newly-appointed senior leader of the Myanmar ruling body has called on the mining authorities to strive for flourishing of gems market and convenience of gems merchants and to assist in the gems mining and development of gems industries, local press reported Tuesday.

Lieutenant-General Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo, first secretary of the State Peace and Development Council, made the appeal at a meeting of the Leading Committee for Development of Gems Industries in the new capital of Nay Pyi Taw Monday, the New Light of Myanmar reported.

He noted that the government has made systematic plans to exploit the resources for the country which is rich in natural resources such as gems, forest and oil. And the committee organizes gems emporiums at least three times a year in a bid to realize a higher price for gems and to promote the sale of gems.

He said that the number of local and foreign gems merchants joining the emporiums and earning from them has increased year after year.

According to the committee, a mid-year gems emporium, which is the 16th, is re-scheduled to open a week later in Yangon on Nov. 14 to encourage national gem traders to sell more quality gems, jade, pearl and jewelry on the basis of tender and competitive bidding.

Myanmar started to hold gem shows annually in 1964, introducing the mid-year one in 1992 and the special one in 2004.

In the 44th annual Myanmar gems emporium held in March this year and attended by 3,421 merchants including over 2,000 foreign ones, 3,652 lots of jade, gems and pearl were sold out, gaining 185 million U.S. dollars according to earlier official statistics.

Again in July this year, a special gem, jade and pearl sale, which attracted even more merchants, about 4,000 including 2,437 foreigners, sold out more of the items reaching 4,665 lots but the proceeds were not disclosed.

Myanmar, a well-known producer of gems in the world, boasts ruby, diamond, cat's eye, emerald, topaz, pearl, sapphire, coral and a variety of garnet tinged with yellow.

There are six mining areas in Myanmar under gem and jade exploration, namely, Mogok, Mongshu, Lonkin/Phakant, Khamhti, Moenyin and Namyar.

According to the state-run Myanmar Gems Enterprise (MGE), of Myanmar's top 10 exporters for 2006-07 which were dominated by the state sector, the MGE stood the third with a gem sale value of 296.9 million dollars after Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise and the Myanmar Timber Enterprise.

The Central Statistical Organization revealed that in 2006-07,Myanmar produced 20,458 tons of jade and 20.879 million carats of gems which include ruby, sapphire, spinel and peridot, as well as 240,595 mommis (902.23 kilograms) pearl.