There is a roaring trade of Chinese potatoes in the Yangon market, pushing up prices, a potato seller from Yetama Street in Bayintnaung Commodity Wholesale Centre told the Global New Light of Myanmar (GNLM).
Onion trade was quite sluggish on Yetama Street on the morning of 11 September, while potatoes were seen being unloaded from trucks and carried with trailers to the depots.
The price of Chinese potatoes was K2,300 per viss on 11 September, whereas local potatoes from the Aungban area fetched K1,500-2,000 per viss, said Ko Naing Lin, a seller.
The potato from Aungban is of low moisture content at present. So, its shelf life lasts longer than before. The large size of potato was priced at K2,800-2,900 per viss in the Aungban market.
To meet the domestic demand, there is a high influx of Chinese potatoes into the domestic market. However, the previously imported Chinese potatoes were perishable due to moisture content. The variety of Chinese potatoes that flowed into the Yangon market is of medium size. The large size is rarely seen.
There is no direct import to the Yangon market. They are sent to Yangon via Mandalay with 12-wheel trucks with a load capacity of 10,000 tonnes. The freight rate is estimated at K105 per viss of potato from Mandalay to Yangon.
The essential goods are imported into the country and palm oil and potato are among them. A market observer pointed out that the potato plantation should be expanded to meet domestic needs and to reduce the capital outflow. — TWA/EM
