Green gram price surges again

Yangon green gram (RC) prices tough a high at K1,491,000 per tonne, according to the Bayintnaung Wholesale Commodity Exchange Centre yesterday.
The prices of local green gram and pigeon pea depend on the demand and import policy of India. In the 2019-2020FY, the country earned $1.2 billion from pulses and beans exports (1.6 million tonnes), according to officials.
After the monsoon paddy was harvested in the delta region, the people grow summer paddy, chilli, green gram and pigeon pea. The Ayeyawady Region plants green gram and Kayan and Thongwa townships of Yangon Region plant pigeon pea.
The local cultivation rate of green gram is about 300,000 acres and more than 150,000 acres of pigeon pea, according to the data. The green gram with a low local consumption rate is mainly exported to foreign countries. Indians mainly consume the green gram and pigeon pea and they still import the beans. Due to the weather condition in 2015, the green gram demand was high as the production rate declined in India, and they imported large volumes of green gram.
In September second week of 2015, the price of green gram (RC) was more than K1.4 million per tonne in the Yangon bean market and more than K2.4 million per tonne in October’s second week.
The green gram (RC) was priced at about K420,000 per tonne in October 2017 and the price of red pigeon pea dropped to K380,000 per tonne.
In March 2018, the Indian government allowed bean import and the green gram (RC) fetched K800,000 per tonne, said bean dealer Ko Thet Win.
The green gram (RC) price dropped to K1,192,000 per tonne on 9 February 2022 and it rose to K1,510,000 per tonne on 26 March. In May, the price was between K1,410,000 and K1,468,000. On 2 June, the price of green gram (SQ/RC) was K1,681,000 per tonne while the pigeon pea was priced at K1,370,000 per tonne, the merchants said.
The bean cultivation rate was high in India and they temporarily suspended green gram and pigeon pea until March 2018. — TWA/GNLM