In a bid to boost production and manage the challenges of manual harvesting, Mya Bayin Sugar Mill (Mya Bayin) recently acquired a new Austoft 9000 through Yoma Heavy Equipment (YHE), the exclusive distributor of Case IH equipment in Myanmar.
The Austoft 9000 will enable Mya Bayin to harvest sustainably and at optimum capacity even during post-harvest periods, according to U Tun Lwin, general manager of Mya Bayin. “The harvesting period is a long and labour-intensive process. By using the Austoft 9000, we aim to lessen the strain on our farm workers and efficiently harvest up to more than 15,000 tons over the remaining days of the post-harvest period.”
Myanmar produces approximately 450,000 tonnes of sugar annually, mostly for domestic consumption. Sugarcane plantations are largely concentrated in the upper Sagaing region and northern Shan State.
Established in 1983, Mya Bayin is among the country’s small-to-medium enterprise (SME) sugar producers. Their sugarcane farm in Shwe Nyaung, Taunggyi, spans 410 acres (166 hectares).
“We’ve always supported the local community by creating jobs and sharing the benefits of farming. We also wanted to raise awareness of how using modern machinery can help us achieve a good yield despite challenges such as labour shortage,” U Tun Lwin added.
Dedicated to delivering best-in-class sustainable farming solutions to Myanmar, YHE transported Mya Bayin’s new Austoft 9000 all the way from Brazil, traveling through Singapore and Thailand.
“Yoma’s Mandalay team gives satisfactory service. As there are plans to expand the farm, we may buy 2 or 3 more harvesters in the future,” U Tun Lwin shared, adding they previously ordered an Austoft 8000 from YHE.
The Austoft 9000 has elevated mechanised sugarcane harvesting since its launch in 2022, with its powerful engine, fuel-efficiency, and innovative features that boost harvesting capacity while reducing overall operating costs.
Piyanon Choonikorn, Case IH Business Development Manager - Southeast Asia said, “Case IH’s Austoft is a pioneer and the benchmark in mechanised sugarcane harvesting. We are pleased to positively impact productivity at Mya Bayin Sugar Mill and are grateful for our trusted partners at Yoma Heavy Equipment for delivering this cutting-edge machinery and constantly elevating sales, services, and support to customers in the region.”