According to the Ministry of Commerce, the pharmaceutical products imports increased to over 113 million US dollars in the fiscal year of 2007-08 which ended in March, from 100 million dollars in 2006-07.

Of the Asian nations from which Myanmar mostly imports the pharmaceuticals, India stood the largest portion of the country’s market share and comprised more than 40 per cent of its total imports, followed by Thailand, China and Bangladesh, the weekly said,adding that only a few per cent are from European countries.

Since Myanmar introduced a market-oriented economic policy in 1989, the private sector has been allowed to import pharmaceuticals from abroad.

Under the impact, local companies have struggled to compete with the foreign distribution firms and have had to put in a lot of effort over several years developing capable logistics systems.

Pharmaceuticals now stands Myanmar’s seventh largest import item, the report added.