Myanmar Pearl Enterprise (MPE) established in 1963 is a State-owned economic enterprise producing South Sea pearls of finest quality, lustre, surface, nacre thickness, size, colour and shape. It is under the Ministry of Mines.
In 1995, Government promulgated Myanmar Pearl law and invited foreign direct investments. Foreign and local companies have to sign production- sharing contract with MPE, if they invest in pearl culture business in Myanmar. The duration of Contract is 15 years excluding two years of Experimental Operation Stage and three years of harvesting period for last-year-seeded pearls. The Contract is extendable. The splitting ratio is 25 to 30 percent of pearls for MPE and it is revisable.
Unlike some other South Sea Pearl producing countries there is no set quota system for number of seeding oysters. Foreign companies can seed hatchery-bred oysters as much as they can. For local companies, they are allowed to seed wild oysters as well as hatchery oysters with no set quotas.
There are three foreign companies and two local companies, which are conducting pearl culturing on eight islands, including three farms from MPE. Before 1995 we relied only on wild oysters collected from their natural habitats. But now there are four hatcheries fully operating to get uniformed healthy young oysters. It means that we can conserve the supply of wild oysters and produce high quality South Sea pearls according to the market demand.
The main farm site of Myanmar Pearl Enterprise is on Sir J Malcolm Island, now locally known as Pearl Island, in Mergui Archipelago. It is the place chosen by Japanese in 1954 and it provided excellent
conditions. We are proud that it is the oldest South Sea pearl farm in the World, which is continuously producing superb quality pearls.
