Page 25 - Azerbaijan State University of Economics

Y.V. Aleskerovа: Economy agriculture countries: Myanmar

development of Myanmar. The demographic structure of the country‟s population has
changed overtime. The economically active group, between 15 and 64 years old,
accounted for 55.31 percent of the population in 1980, and 25 years later this cohort
comprised nearly 66 percent of the total population. Nearly 63 percent of the population
was engaging in the agriculture sector in 2010. It was about 67 percent in 1980. These
figures are indicating that Myanmar economy is still much depending on agriculture
sector. At the same time, employed labor force in service sector stands within 20 to 25
percent from 1980-2010. This is also implying that sectored contribution of services
remains unchanged for 30 years. If we also look at the industry sector, we will see not
much change during this time. It was nearly 10 percent in 1980 and 12.2 percent in
2010. Generally speaking, the employment distribution of the different sectors reflects
their respective contribution to GDP. The share of the agriculture sector in total GDP
was 46.54 percent in 1980 and it was increased to 60.1 percent in 1995 and decreased
again to 57.23 percent, 42 percent and 36 percent in 2000, 2005 and 2010, respectively.
This figure also indicating that the sector plays still important for Myanmar economy.
Main part. Steadily declining of agriculture‟s contribution, from 1995 to
2010, to job creation is to be expected as the economy moved to development, but
the industry share in total GDP was declining from 1985 to 2010. Thus, industry
sector failed to absorb the labor force of agriculture sector. On the other hand also,
share of service sector in total GDP was declining from 1980 to 1995. But it was
increasing from 1995 to 2010 indicating that labor force in agriculture sector moved
to the service sector after 1995. In overall, agriculture sector is still the largest
provider of jobs in Myanmar economy. According to the ADB data, per capita GDP
in Myanmar has been growing since 1980. In 1980 per capita income was Kyat 3726
while in 2005 it was Kyat 167205. However, if we divide the per capita income in
2005 by market exchange rate, which is about Kyat 1200 per one US dollar in
average, it is about US$ 160. This income is far less than if comparing with other
developing countries those are neighbor to Myanmar (ADB). The share of
agricultural export of some commodities (for example, rice) from Myanmar to the
world market has fluctuated from 185 million US dollars in 1980-1982 to about 84
million US dollars in 2000-2002, and 400 million US dollars in 2010. But market
share of other products such as peas and beans and shrimps and prawns has
increased because of rapid expanding demand of beans from India and shrimps and
prawns from Japan. But Myanmar‟ agricultural export largely consists of a few low

25