Newly-harvested green gram prices escalate on Sino-Myanmar border reopening

Green gram (Shwewah variety) market sees an upward trajectory in prices in the Mandalay market when some cross-border posts between Myanmar and China resume trade activity in early 2023, traders engaged in the Mandalay market said.
Newly-harvested green gram enters the market from Kayan Thongwa, Madaya, Singu, Htigyaing and Katha areas. The price of green gram (Kayan Shwewah variety) increased to K20,000 per three-basket bag this year from K140,000 in the year-ago period. Similarly, green gram (Shwewah) cultivated in central Myanmar regions jumped to K165,000 per bag from K110,000 per bag,” said U Soe Win Myint, an owner of the Soe Win Myint depot.
“The new green gram started to flow into the market in the last week of January 2023. It is time that the Sino-Myanmar border trade is reopened. The market sees a bustling trade at harvest time. The green gram is mainly exported to foreign markets – China and India. The growers feel delighted with the high price. The border posts that have been shut down for three years amid the pandemic were reopened. That being so, the green gram market sees a great prospect. The prevailing price of green gram (Kayan Shwewah) hit the highest in a decade,” he elaborated.
Green gram is cultivated in Mandalay, Sagaing and Magway regions throughout the year like the rice crop. Meanwhile, it is commonly found as a winter crop in Yangon, Bago and Ayeyawady regions. — Min Htet Aung (Mandalay Sub-Printing House)/EM