Chilli pepper traders hit by cold storage charge hike again

Traders are struggling to store the chilli pepper amid the surge in cold storage charges for the second time this year and shortage of cold storage facilities, a chilli depot owner from Bayintnaung Commodity Wholesale Centre told The Global New Light of Myanmar (GNLM).
The cold storage charges increased to K125 per viss from K75 in early 2024. This month, it further rose to K175 per viss. The chilli pepper yield is pretty good. However, weak foreign demand drove the price to plunge. It is an excellent opportunity for traders who want to keep their stocks at low prices.
Nonetheless, the cold storage facilities are full of chilli stocks. The cold storage charges vary depending on the different varieties. As bell pepper is required to make more room for storage, the charges touch a high of K225 per viss, unlike long chilli.
Nevertheless, the rise in cold storage charges is nothing compared with the price fluctuation of chilli.
The prices significantly jumped to around K20,000 per viss of bell pepper and K10,000 for long chilli and Moehtaung chilli in 2022. The prices of various types of chilli drastically fell in 2024. The long chilli pepper price plummeted to K4,500 per viss in Yangon’s market prior to the Thingyan holidays. They were sold only at K4,000 per viss on the roadside of a highway in Maubin Township, Ko Ye, who came from Mawgyun area to Yangon, witnessed it.
The red chilli pepper from the delta region fetched K11,500-K12,500 per viss on 1 February. The prices of chilli peppers supplied by Wakema and Eainme areas dropped to K4,000-K4,500 per viss during the pre-Thingyan period. — TWA/EM