The primary lifeline for a country’s stability and development is its agricultural sector and farming community. Just as every citizen has the right to live and earn a livelihood peacefully in their native homeland, penetrating international markets with domestic products to enhance the nation’s economic strength is a cornerstone that elevates the dignity and prestige of the motherland.
At the International World Rice Conference 2026 held in Manila, the Philippines, international rice varieties were showcased, and a rice quality competition took place, where Myanmar’s Pawsan rice once again won the World’s Best Rice Award for the second time. The first win was achieved at the international rice conference held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in 2011; thus, securing this award for a second time stands as a historic and proud milestone for Myanmar’s rice sector.
As Myanmar is a country blessed with rich and abundant rice genetic resources, a wide variety of paddy and rice cultivars are grown. Pawsan is a late-maturing, long-lifespan paddy variety renowned for its exceptional quality. When Pawsan rice is cooked, the grains expand to nearly twice their original length; upon consumption, it boasts superior qualities such as a soft, tender texture and a fragrant, pleasant aroma.
Pawsan rice was first developed in 1944 at the Myaungmya Agricultural Research Farm using the Single Plant Selection method, and it now spans more than 80 years. Presently, through collaboration between the Department of Agricultural Research (DAR) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), new varieties known as Yezin Pawsan-1 and Yezin Pawsan-2 have been successfully developed to grow across all seasons and offer higher yields.
During October of this year, a public-private export promotion delegation comprising the Ministry of Commerce and the Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF), along with rice-exporting companies, negotiated to boost rice exports to the Philippines, Malaysia, and African nations while attending the International Rice Conference. In alignment with national directives, the Myanmar Rice Federation has set an export target of three million tonnes of Myanmar’s premium rice products for the current 2026-2027 financial year, and the private sector is actively striving to meet and exceed this target.
Myanmar’s Pawsan rice winning the World’s Best Rice Award for the second time is an extraordinary achievement that elevates the prestige and national identity of the country. Therefore, everyone in the rice sector is warmly urged to expand the cultivation and production of Pawsan rice in accordance with international standards, thereby joining hands to further multiply and serve the nation’s economic development.
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