ASEAN PLUS THREE-LED AGENCY RELEASES STRATEGIC RESERVE RICE TO MYANMAR 

By Vijian Paramasivam

PHNOM PENH, April 11 (Bernama) -- The ASEAN multilateral emergency rice reserve agency has delivered 3,500 metric tonnes of white rice to support humanitarian food relief efforts in Myanmar following the recent severe earthquake. 

The ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) Secretariat General Manager, Dr Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, said the rice would be distributed in Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw and Sagaing - areas severely affected by the 7.7-magnitude earthquake on March 28. 

About 100,000 people are expected to benefit from the emergency rice aid. 

The agency has been working with Myanmar’s Department of Agriculture (DOA) under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation since the earthquake to ensure APTERR’s timely support during the catastrophe, he said.

“The APTERR Secretariat continues to closely monitor the post-earthquake situation in coordination with the DOA to ensure that the rice distribution is carried out effectively, transparently and credibly so that all those in need can access the rice assistance,” Dr Choomjet told Bernama.

After receiving a request from the DOA, APTERR approved the rice release on April 5.

This rice contribution, consisting of 500 metric tonnes from China and 3,000 metric tonnes from South Korea, has already been stored in Yangon under the pre-positioned stockpiled rice system of Tier 3 for emergency preparedness in Myanmar.

APTERR is a regional food security mechanism established through the cooperation of the ten ASEAN member states and the Plus Three countries -- China, Japan and South Korea.

APTERR provides rice assistance to its member countries each year, including Myanmar, to strengthen food security in times of disaster and support poverty alleviation.

State Media, the Global New Light of Myanmar, reported on Thursday that as of April 9, the death toll had reached 3,595 and 4,815 were injured, while 145 are still missing.

-- BERNAMA