New border trade stations are planned to be opened before the end of the 2015-16 fiscal year, according to U Toe Aung Myint, secretary at the Ministry of Commerce.
The border stations will be opened in Htantalan in Chin state, Mae-Se in Kayah state, Kyailatt, and Paletwa town for the Kaladan River Project in Chin state.
Extant border stations are usually allowed to import of a limited amount of liquor, but these new stations will have to apply for permission separately. Individual trading cards (ITCs) can be used at the new trade stations.
A list of commodities that requires a licence to trade has been prepared to standardise international trade.
“We are consulting with respective ministries to develop bylaws for trade to be competitive internationally. Money and technology are also needed to face the competitive international market. We are preparing strategies to modernise the system too,” U Toe Aung Myint said.
There are 14 operational border trade stations in Myanmar.