Myanmar exports over 400,000 tonnes of tissue cultured banana between April-January

More than 400,000 tonnes of tissue cultured bananas have been transported to China via Kampaiti and Lweje border checkpoints between April and January of 2023-24 Financial Year, according to U Htay Lwin, the head of Kachin State Department of Agriculture.
Myanmar grows tissue cultured bananas only for export without domestic consumption. The exported tissue cultured bananas are cultivated in over 50,000 acres of 32 companies that have registered to export the tissue cultured bananas to China from Kachin State.
“Nearly 402,191 tonnes of tissue cultured bananas were exported to China with the use of 12,348 trucks from Kampaiti and Lweje trade zones between April and January of this financial year. In previous financial year, a total of 491,954 tonnes of the produce were exported using 12,103 trucks. This year’s exports will be higher than those of the previous year since the statistics until now are higher than the whole financial year of last year. A total of 32 companies that have registered to export to China grow banana in Myitkyina, Waingmaw, and Bhamo in Kachin State, and border areas in Sagaing Region. The tissue cultured bananas are fruitful between November and March. Thus, it is mainly exported within these months,” U Nanda said.
Before Covid-19 period, there were 70,000 acres of tissue cultured banana cultivations in Kachin State. However, it remains only 50,000 acres now and an acre of cultivation earns US$6,000, the report states.
Main items exported through these border checkpoints involve tissue cultured bananas, pigeon peas, peanut, cashew, rice, sugarcane, rattan, broken rice, chilli, rubber and butter bean; and main imported items are electric products, pharmaceuticals, vehicle accessories, and food.—ASH/ TMT