Myanmar pulses exports surge, garnering US$430 mln over four months

Myanmar shipped more than 550,000 tonnes of pulses, with an estimated value of over $430 million, to foreign countries over the past four months during the 2023-2024 financial year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
The pulses exports by seaborne trade amounted to $362.39 million (over 462,894 tonnes), whereas over 88,907 tonnes of pulses worth $77.079 million were sent to the neighbouring countries through land borders between 1 April and 28 July 2023, totalling $439.469 million from exports of over 551,802 tonnes.
Myanmar’s pulses exports crossed over US$1.4 billion from over 1.9 million tonnes in the past 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 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 gram 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 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 prices are K2.377 million per tonne of black gram (urad) and K3.2425 million per tonne of pigeon pea (tur).
Last 14 June, the price of pigeon peas hit a record high of K3.33 million per tonne. The black gram price peaked at K2.461 million per tical on 14 June.
Black grams that India primarily purchases are 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