Apart from timber the forests in Myanmar also produce a variety of minor forest products, namely, bamboo, rattan, cutch, bat guano, edible birds' nest, thatch, orchids, etc. The annual production of these minor forest products are also controlled by the Forest Department in accordance with the annual requirements and with the object of achieving sustained production.
Production of some selected minor forest products are shown in table-6. (See Appendix IV for more details)
Table 6 - Production of Some Selected Minor Forest Produce (1992-93 to 1994-95)
Sr. No. |
Particulars |
Unit of measurements |
1992-93 |
1993-94 |
1994-95 |
1 |
Bamboo |
Million nos. |
940 |
919 |
946 |
2 |
Rattan |
" |
81 |
81 |
73 |
3 |
Cutch |
Metric ton |
166 |
331 |
184 |
4 |
Pine resin |
" |
179 |
11 |
2 |
5 |
Bat guano |
" |
302 |
240 |
271 |
6 |
Thanakha (Limonia accidissima, Linm) |
" |
468 |
493 |
426 |
7 |
Orchids |
Thousand nos. |
106 |
16 |
15 |
8 |
Edible bird nest |
Kilogram |
993 |
1,523 |
2,923 |
Most of the minor forest products are essential commodities for domestic consumption and their trading is done mostly by private groups or individuals. Some items i.e. rattan, edible birdnest, etc. to a limited extent, have been involved in the export trade, and a few have high export potential.