Myanmar black gram price regains on India’s demand

The price of black gram bounced back to over K2 million per tonne from an over two-week drop in the domestic market on the back of strong demand by India.
On 1 March, the price was K1,858,500 per tonne. It jumped to K2,008,000 per tonne on 17 March, showing a sharp increase of 150,000 per tonne within three weeks.
India’s demand strongly influenced Myanmar’s black gram price, traders elaborated.
At present, the price of black gram (urad in India) is slightly increasing in India’s market on regular demand. India imported approximately 35,000 tonnes of Myanmar’s black gram in February and 28,000-30,000 in March, according to the Ayeya Trade Centre.
At present, Myanmar’s black gram markets see an upward trend in prices. The export is likely to climb in April. The price will remain high depending on the stocks of India. The price of black gram (urad in India) is expected to be around Rs 8,500-9,000 per quintal in Chennai until August, Agri World Mumbai forecasted.
India notified on 28 December that the free import policy of black gram (urad) and pigeon pea (tur) extended up to March 2024, pushing black gram prices down in the domestic market.
Additionally, the price of black gram is positively related to the exchange rate. Kyat devalued at K2,870 against the US dollar.
Last August 2022, the price of black gram peaked at K2.1 million per tonne when Kyat weakened to K4,500 against the US dollar.
Myanmar earned over US$1.2 billion from over 1.6 million tonnes of pulses over the past 11 months of the current financial year, the Ministry of Commerce said.
Of them, black gram export earned $499.491 million from 608,673.819 kilogrammes, while pigeon pea export pocked $157.909 million from 202,557.35 kilos, the Ministry of Commerce’s statistics showed.
Myanmar primarily exports black gram, green gram and pigeon peas. Of them, black gram and pigeon peas are mainly sent 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.
Myanmar yearly produces approximately 400,000 tonnes of black gram and about 50,000 tonnes of pigeon peas. Myanmar is the top producer of the black gram that is primarily demanded by India, while pigeon peas, green grams and chickpeas are cultivated in Australia and African countries besides Myanmar. — NN/EM