YANGON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has granted free export of rice from rice-producing Yangon region over six months after storm, the local Weekly Eleven journal reported Monday, quoting the Ministry of Commerce.

    Export of surplus rice from other regions through border trade is also allowed; other local report also quoted the ministry as saying.

    The country's rice export is mainly done through normal trade only but it will also be permitted to do so through border trade if there is surplus rice produced regionally, the sources said, adding that the grant covers surplus rice produced from Sagaing, Bago and Ayeyawaddy divisions.

    So far, a total of 35,755 tons have been shipped by 19 companies, of which 3,055 tons were exported by 9 companies through border points since the near-end of last year.

    According to the figures of the Central Statistical Organization, in 2007-08, Myanmar exported 358,500 tons of rice, gaining 100 million U.S. dollars. The export tonnage in the first three quarters of 2008-09 went to 150,000 tons amid storm.

    Of the rice export, 101,235 tons were shipped to South Africa, 11,908 tons to Singapore, 8,007.85 tons to Sri Lanka, 2,499.7 tons to the United Arab Emirate, 1,500 tons to South Korea and 1,197.7 tons to Egypt, said the Myanmar Agricultural Produces Trading.

    Myanmar government has urged agricultural entrepreneurs to make greater efforts for exporting more rice, saying that the country has enough cultivable land to boost paddy production.