Nay Pyi Taw, Oct 10 (IANS): The European Union is helping Myanmar boost aquaculture production and exports by providing training courses as part of EU Myanmar Trade Development Programme, said a press release of the EU Delegation to Myanmar on Saturday.

The aim of these activities and training is to promote the sustainable development of Myanmar's fishery sector and install a food safety marketing chain for consumer protection at home and abroad, Xinhua quoted the release as saying.

In the fishery sector a market has been established for exporting wild fish, and recently the EU approved exports of farmed fish from Myanmar, it said.

"The training has started to raise the awareness for these important points to boost production and trade," EU Ambassador Roland Kobia said.

The next steps will include providing equipment and training for staff from laboratories and inspection bodies so they are able to test and control according to international norms to guarantee food safety, he added.

Meanwhile, the EU upgraded 20 of 116 cold storages in Myanmar that complied with its quality standards, said U Win Kyaing, the general secretary of the Myanmar Fishery Federation, adding that these factories are now exporting fishery products to the EU.

According to statistics of the federation, Myanmar exported 6,282 metric tonnes of fishery products at a value of more than $nine million to the EU market since sanctions were lifted in 2012.