Study on Marketable Rice Varieties, Strength, Weakness of Rice Marketing and Value Added Products in Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory, Myanmar

Agri-processing and value addition are expanding recently, focusing on rice value added products based on the diversification of rice varieties. This study aimed to explore information about marketable rice varieties and commonly used rice varieties for marketed snacks and noodle in four markets, Nay Pyi Taw. Based on the findings, the top five marketed rice varieties were Manawthukha, Shwebo Pawsan, Pyapon Pawsan, Machando, and Ayeyar Padaethar in Nay Pyi Taw. Among the strengths of rice market, the major strength was the high demand for quality rice (88.67%), while the major weakness was price fluctuation (66.04%). Approximately 42.86% of the samples used two types of rice varieties, including Pawsan and Manawthukha, Pawsan and Pawsanhmwe, Manawthukha and Sticky rice, Machando and Sticky rice for rice snacks. Mostly, sample rice noodle mills used one type of rice variety such as Manawthukha, Byawt Tun and Byawt Thukha for rice noodles. According to the results, head rice and aged rice types were mainly used for rice snacks and rice noodle. Popular marketed rice varieties and commonly used rice varieties for snacks and noodle will be useful for farmer's decision making in the selection of rice varieties to grow. Moreover, information about rice varieties will be useful for rice breeding programs and distribution strategies as the demand driven plan formulation for the future research of rice industry in Myanmar.