Myanmar bags over $1.2 bln from pulses exports over past 11 months

Myanmar brought in over US$1.2 billion from over 1.6 million tonnes of various pulses exports over the past 11 months of the current financial year 2022-2023, the Ministry of Commerce’s statistics indicated.
The country shipped over 1,428,869.205 tonnes of pulses and beans valued at $1.1 billion to foreign markets by sea, and over 233,483.976 tonnes valued at $168.989 million were sent to the neighbouring countries through land borders, totalling 1,662,353.181 tonnes worth $1.278 billion.
Myanmar exported over 2 million tonnes of various pulses worth US$1.57 billion to foreign trade partners last financial year 2020-2021. The country shipped 1.24 million tonnes of pulses and beans valued at $966.4 million to foreign markets through the sea route, and 786,920 tonnes worth $604.3 million were sent to the neighbouring countries through land borders.
Myanmar primarily exports black gram, green gram and pigeon peas to foreign markets. Of them, black gram and pigeon peas are mostly conveyed to India while green grams are shipped to China and Europe.
India has growing demand and consumption requirements for black grams and pigeon peas. According to a Memorandum of Understanding between Myanmar and India signed on 18 June 2022, India will import 250,000 tonnes of black gram and 100,000 tonnes of pigeon peas (tur) from Myanmar for five consecutive years from 2021-2022 financial year to 2025-2026 FY. This G-to-G pact will not affect the pulses’ annual quota set by India. Myanmar’s exporters are also entitled to deliver the pulses to India under that annual quota.
The prevailing price of black gram is K1,947,000 per tonne, while pigeon peas fetch K2,220,000 per tonne, according to Yangon Region Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Bayint Naung Commodity Centre).
In August last year, the dollar against Kyat gained to K4,500 in the black market. Following that, the black gram price reached a record high of K2.1 million per tonne. Pigeon pea price hit K2.12 million per tonne.
Myanmar yearly produces approximately 400,000 tonnes of black gram and about 50,000 tonnes of pigeon peas.
Black gram that India primarily purchases is commonly found only in Myanmar, whereas pigeon peas, green gram and chickpeas are grown in African countries and Australia, Myanmar Pulses, Beans, Maize and Sesame Seeds Merchants Association. – NN/EM