Shan long chilli pepper, Shan Moehtaung, Indian chilli pepper enter Yangon market

Following the extraordinary record price of chilli peppers in Yangon markets in the last week of October, Indian long chilli peppers which have not entered Myanmar for three years flowed into the domestic market with the six-viss burlap sacks.
Additionally, long chilli peppers and Moehtaung variety from Shan State entered Yangon markets on 25 October. However, the prices are still on an upward trend.
Indian long chilli peppers have not been imported since 2019 as that variety was locally produced from Hinthada to Salin areas. They are named Payne and Myarni long chilli peppers in the markets.
The prices of long chilli peppers processed in cold storage were K20,000-20,500 per viss in the wholesale market. However, the imported Indian long chilli peppers were sold at K18,500 per viss in Yangon markets. Those chilli peppers produced from cold storage fetch a higher price due to their appealing red colour.
The price of Indian long chilli peppers is K2,000 lower than the locally produced ones due to its colour, said Ko Hlan Han, a seller of chilli pepper and tangerine on Seinpan Street, told the Global New Light of Myanmar (GNLM).
The prices of Shan chilli peppers also entered the market at a high price, with K17,000-17,500 for long chilli peppers and K15,500 for the Moehtaung variety.
The newly harvested bell peppers this month were priced at K20,000 per viss in Yangon markets, which is four times higher than the price recorded last year. As a result of this, the growers are doing a roaring business.
Despite the supply from Shan State and inflow of Indian chilli peppers to Yangon markets, the prices still strengthen, GNLM quoted Ko Thet Aung, a dealer, as saying.
However, there is less chance for the chilli pepper price to go higher on the back of high inventory. Furthermore, consumer demand declined significantly.
The prices of chilli pepper were on the rise and so consumers reduced their consumption unlike the staple food rice and edible oil. —TWA/GNLM