YANGON. Mar 2: Myanmar leader Senior-General Than Shwe Monday urged peasants in the country to strive for domestic food sufficiency and contribute to the national economic progress, says Xinhua.

In his message marketing the 1998 Myanmar Peasants' Day which falls today. Than Shwe. Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council. said arrangements are being made to extend sown area and boost production of paddy for self-sufficiency and cotton, sugarcane and beans and pulses for export.

He said the government is building an increasing number of irrigation facilities to ensure regular water supply and irrigate and cultivate the targeted sown area, paying attention to greater use of mechanisation, supplying of fuel oil and increased use of fertiliser for boosting the crop yield to initiate gradual change-over to mechanised agriculture for the progress of the sector which is the mainstay of Myanmar's national economy.