The value of Myanmar’s pulses exports totalled over US$1.47 billion from over 1.9 million tonnes in the previous FY 2022-2023.
Myanmar shipped nearly 1.4 million tonnes of pulses worth over US$1.182 billion to foreign trade partners in the past ten and half months of the current 2023-2024 financial year beginning 1 April, the Ministry of Commerce’s statistics showed.
Myanmar bagged $1.06 billion from pulses exports of over 1.25 million tonnes through seaborne trade, while over 140,344 tonnes of pulses worth $121.158 million were sent to the neighbouring countries through land borders between 1 April 2023 and 16 February 2024, totalling $1.182 billion from exports of over 1,391,565 tonnes.
The value of Myanmar’s pulses exports totalled 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 grams, green grams 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 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 yearly quota.
The prevailing market prices stand at K3.055 million per tonne of black gram (urad) and K3.77 million per tonne of pigeon pea (tur), according to figures from the Yangon Region Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Bayintnaung Wholesale Centre).
The prices hit K3.5 million for black grams and K4.197 for pigeon peas on 5 February. Myanmar’s black gram production is estimated at 400,000 tonnes, whereas about 50,000 tonnes of pigeon peas are annually produced. The Myanmar Pulses, Beans, Maize and Sesame Seeds Merchants Association stated that black grams, which India primarily purchases, are commonly cultivated only in Myanmar, whereas pigeon peas, green grams and chickpeas are grown in African countries and Australia. — NN/EM
