Myanmar exported more than 1 million tonnes of pulses, with an estimated value of over US$865 million, to foreign trade partners over the past seven and half months of the current 2023-2024 financial year beginning 1 April, the Ministry of Commerce’s statistics indicated.
The value of pulses exports by seaborne trade reached $749.633 million (over 890,644 tonnes), whereas over 134,746 tonnes of pulses worth $115.606 million were sent to the neighbouring countries through land borders between 1 April and 17 November, totalling $865.239 million from exports of 1,025,390 tonnes.
Myanmar’s pulses exports amounted to over US$1.47 billion from over 1.9 million tonnes in the previous FY 2022-2023, the Ministry of Commerce’s statistics indicated.
Myanmar mainly exports black gram, green gram and pigeon peas to foreign markets. Of them, black grams and pigeon peas are primarily shipped to India while green grams are exported 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 2021, India will import 250,000 tonnes of black grams 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 market prices are K2.8 million per tonne of black gram (urad) and K3.25 million per tonne of pigeon pea (tur).
Black gram which India primarily purchases is commonly found only in Myanmar, whereas pigeon peas, green grams and chickpeas are grown in African countries and Australia, as stated by the Myanmar Pulses, Beans, Maize and Sesame Seeds Merchants Association. — NN/EM
