Two potential joint ventures between Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation (Mapco) and Japanese conglomerates, Mitsui & Co and Mitsubishi Group, may propel Myanmar forward as the one of the region's key rice exporters. Mapco and Mitsui plan to establish the Integrated Rice Complex Project (IRCP), a network of rice-milling and processing plants in Myanmar that will supply countries along the Ivory Coast with low-quality (25% broken) rice. "The most important thing isn't rice exports to Japan, but Mitsui and Mapco's cooperation to establish mills to promote rice exports and help Myanmar become a large rice exporter in the world market again," said Masaki Takahara, the executive managing director of Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) in Yangon on March 28.