Myanmar ships over 44,000 tonnes of butter bean as of 10 September

The exports of Myanmar’s butter bean to the international market exceeded 44,109 tonnes between 1 October 2020 and 10 September 2021 in the current financial year 2020-2021, generating revenue of US$25 million, as per the Ministry of Commerce’s data.
A basket of butter bean is valued at K1,735-K1,775 per viss (a viss equals 1.6 kg), according to the Bayintnaung wholesale market’s data.
The price slightly rose in the recent days following Kyat weakening in the local forex market, although the foreign demand is extremely weak amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the political changes, the traders said.
At present, the price of butter bean is valued at over K75,000 per bag depending on the size in Mandalay market.
Butter bean export to Chinese, Japanese and European markets has been falling. Now, it is relying only on the domestic market, said a trader from Mandalay market.
Normally, Myanmar exports about 75 per cent of butter bean production to foreign markets—Japan, China, Denmark, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan (China Taipei) and Viet Nam—with export volume of 15,000-30,000 tonnes per year.
There are over 160,000 acres of butter bean plantation. The butter bean is grown in June and July and harvested in October and November. The cold season for further growing the bean is in October/November and harvest time from January to March.
The butter bean is primarily cultivated in Sagaing, Bago, Magway, Mandalay and Ayeyawady regions and Mon and northern Shan states. Magway Region produces good-quality butter bean and Japan buyers prefer to purchase it.—KK/GNLM