Muse border trade down by 78 per cent over past four months

Myanmar Customs Department’s statistics indicated that the value of trade between Myanmar and China via a major trading hub — the Muse border post — was seen a 78-per-cent drop as of 4 February 2022 of the current mini-budget period (October 2021- March 2022).
The value of Muse border trade touched a low of US$545.749 million over the past four months amid the COVID-19 impacts, reflecting a drastic drop of US$1.73 billion as against the year-ago period, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
Between 1 October 2021 and 4 February 2022, Myanmar’s exports to China through the Muse land border were valued at $457 million, while imports are worth $21.56 million. The trade showed a slump in both exports and imports compared to the corresponding period of last year.
China shut down all the checkpoints linking to the Muse border amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The border posts next to Muse border are Nantaw, Sinphyu, Mang Wein, Kyinsankyawt-Wamting and Panseng-Wamting posts. Of the checkpoints, Kyinsankyawt has resumed trading activity from 26 November on a trial run. Myanmar daily delivers rubber, various beans and pulses, dried plum, watermelon, muskmelon and other food commodities to China through Kyinsankyawt.
Additionally, China’s new Customs regulation and mandatory quarantine process posed some hurdles in the border market. Traders cannot expect trade facilitation according to the changes in China’s policy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Muse border post witnessed $4.057 billion worth of the Sino-Myanmar border trade last financial year 2020-2021, including exports worth $2.9 billion and imports worth $1.15 billion. — KK/GNLM