EOIs under scrutiny for legal corn exports to China; permitted companies to be announced

The Express of Interests submitted by 142 companies is being examined closely, regarding official corn exports to China. Those permitted companies will be officially declared, said U Min Khaing, chair of the Myanmar Corn Industrial Association.
A working task force has been screening the EOIs in line with the protocols. Myanmar’s Department of the Consumer Affairs and Myanmar Inspection and Testing Service (MITS), the authorized organization of the State, are surveying the drying mills and warehouses as well.
“The scrutiny process is nearly completed. The related department will release the result soon,” said U Min Khaing.
Those companies which are found to be as per the protocols can ship corns to China through a official channel starting from September, the association guessed.
At present, the corn industry is endeavouring to seek permits from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) and to meet the import food safety criteria the SPS Protocol (Sanitary and Phytosanitary Protocol) for biosecurity is a must for legitimate export to China, the main trade partner of agricultural products with Myanmar. Myanmar’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation and GACC have signed an agreement to legally ship corn to China.
Therefore, the exporter companies have been notified to submit EOIs to the working task force by 31 March 2022 in order to meet the SPS protocol requirements and file annual registration.
The protocols include the exporters must have a company or institution which can handle the standard drying mill or warehousing operation for exports or can strictly adhere to the agreements during the set period. Those who have a history of corn exports to China or other foreign countries must also present the relevant documents. The company has to comply with the rules and regulations set by China. Additionally, they need to adopt Good Agricultural Practices and contract farming in need to enhance the corn sector and ensure food safety.
The prevailing prices stood at K1,030-1,050 per viss (a viss equals 1.6 kilogrammes) and FOB prices were approximately US$350-370 per tonne, according to the Yangon Region Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Bayintnaung). Myanmar exported 2.3 million tonnes of corn to foreign trade partners in the 2020-2021 financial year. The majority of them were sent to Thailand and the remaining went to China, India and Viet Nam.
At present, corn is cultivated in Shan, Kachin, Kayah and Kayin states and Mandalay, Sagaing and Magway regions. Myanmar has three corn season—winter, summer and monsoon. The country produces 2.5-3 million tonnes of corn every year. — NN/GNLM