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Rice export to China through Muse border checkpoint plummets

Myanmar’s rice export to China through the Muse border checkpoint has plummeted recently, said U Min Thein, the vice-chair of Muse Rice Wholesale Centre. The drop was due to the closure of the Man Wein checkpoint, which is the major place for the trading of rice and broken rice between Myanmar and China following the outbreak of COVID-19 positive cases. With the closing of the Man Wein land border crossing, the export stuff including rice and broken rice are being traded through China via the Kyin San Kyawt checkpoint. Earlier, Myanmar exported about 30,000 bags of rice and broken rice to China daily. But now, only about 10,000 bags have been exported. Previously, about 70 truckloads of rice and broken rice were traded daily through the Man Wein post. Now, only 24 truckloads are being traded.

The export has dropped one third. If three truckloads were used to go earlier, only one truckload will go now. Earlier, about 30,000 bags of rice and broken rice were traded through the Man Wein crossing whereas now only 10,000 bags are being traded through Kyin San Kyawt checkpoint. Currently, the price of the Muse market is 117 Yuans for a bag of broken rice, 128 Yuans for Nga Sein, 129 Yuans for Thuka and 137 Yuans for Shin Tone, according to the Muse Rice Wholesale Centre. The Man Wein land border has been closed for over one month because of the outbreak of COVID-19 and it has not been planned to reopen yet, according to Muse 105th Trade Zone, the Trade Department under the Ministry of Commerce. With the declining number of COVID-19 positive patients in the Kyalgaung area, the lockdown restrictions imposed on the Kyalgaung area were lifted starting from 4 May.

But, the observation is still going on for another three more months. As a result, the Man Wein border post has not been planned to reopen, according to the announcement of the Muse 105th Mile Trade Zone, the Trade Department on 5 May. In addition, in coordination with the Shweli Foreign Relations Department, the Man Wein crossing has not been reopened yet and it will be reopened only after having the detailed plan, according to the statement. The relevant traders will also be informed if there is an official notification from China to reopen the land border crossing. Moreover, China’s customs authorities granted rice export licences to 47 Myanmar companies on 26 February 2021, according to the Muse Rice Wholesale Centre. This year, China government has allowed more rice export licences to more companies.

So, the volume of rice export will increase this year compared to that of the previous year, according to the Muse Rice Wholesale Centre. During the first three months of the current financial year, Myanmar exported over 720,000 tonnes of rice and broken rice worth over US$275 million, according to Myanmar Rice Federation. However, Myanmar has expected to export only 2 million tonnes of rice this FY because the weather changes have affected irrigation water and consequently, summer paddy cultivation will have to be reduced, President U Ye Min Aung of the Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) said. Myanmar generated over US$800 million from rice export in the previous FY–2019-2020 ending 30 September with an estimated volume of over 2.5 million tonnes. 

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar-Garment-Association

Manufacturing exports down by $1.86 bln in nearly nine months

Exports of finished industrial goods drastically plummeted to US$5.14 billion in nearly nine months (1 October-25 June) of the current financial year 2020-2021, an extreme drop of $1.86 billion compared with the corresponding period of the previous FY, according to the Ministry of Commerce. As per figures provided by the ministry, the exports of finished industrial goods exceeded $7 billion during the same period in the 2019-2020FY. The IHS Markit Myanmar Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index, a composite single-figure indicator of manufacturing performance, signalled the sharpest deterioration in manufacturing business conditions in the previous months. The higher material costs and unfavourable exchange rate movements contributed to a sharp increase in cost burdens, causing constraints to complete the order.

It can do more harm to the foreign investment sector if the problem is still not resolved. The PMI measures the output, new orders, performance, delays in the manufacturing process and stocks of both inputs and finished goods, according to HIS Markit’s statement. The layoff is extended and the workers are forced to return to their hometowns amid the political instability and the COVID-19 resurgences. Nevertheless, the Swedish fashion retailer H&M is gradually placing orders from Myanmar again after it paused in March. Then, more international fashion retailers such as Primark and Bestseller starts to resume new orders. Additionally, Germany will also continue its support for Myanmar garment businesses so that Myanmar women can continue their livings, Germany Embassy Yangon’s Facebook posted.

Myanmar’s manufacturing sector is largely concentrated in garment and textiles produced on the Cutting, Making, and Packing basis, and it contributes to the country’s GDP to a certain extent. Myanmar’s garment exports witnessed a decline of over 20 per cent in the past eight months (October-May) of the current financial year 2020-2021 compared with a year-ago period on the back of a slump in demand by the European Union market, the Ministry of Commerce stated. Myanmar’s garment industry has been facing challenges such as raw material supply disruption and cancellation of orders amid the pandemic.

Additionally, the surging COVID-19 cases posed impediments to the industry, a market observer shared his opinion. Myanmar mainly exports CMP garments to markets in Japan and Europe, along with the Republic of Korea, China, and the US. The garment sector is among the prioritized sectors driving up exports. The CMP garment industry has emerged as a promising one, with preferential trade from Western countries. Yet, the current political changes in the country are likely to aggravate the garment industry, traders stressed. Myanmar’s garment factories operate under the CMP system, and those engaged in this industry are striving to transform CMP into a free-on-board (FoB) system.

As the factories cannot enter into a contract for FoB, Own Design Manufacturing (ODM) and Own Business Manufacturing (OBM), the income is limited, according to the MGMA. Exports of garments manufactured under the cut-make-pack (CMP) system were valued at US$4.798 billion in the last financial year2019-2020, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce. Although the sector is struggling due to the cancellation of the order from the European countries and suspension of trading by western countries during the pandemic, export values rose in the previous FY (1 October 2019-30 September 2020). More than 500 members and over 700 garment factories in Myanmar are listed on the MGMA, with an employment of over 400,000 workers. However, a third of garment industry workers are out of jobs in difficult times.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar