Myanmar exported more than 970,000 tonnes of pulses, with an estimated value of over US$817 million, to foreign trade partners over the past seven months of the current 2023-2024 financial year beginning 1 April, the Ministry of Commerce’s statistics indicated.
The value of pulses exports by seaborne trade reached $702.572 million (over 840,226 tonnes), whereas over 134,470 tonnes of pulses worth $115.332 million were sent to the neighbouring countries through the border between 1 April and 3 November, totalling $817.9 million from exports of over 974,696 tonnes.
Myanmar’s pulses exports amounted to over $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 grams 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 annual quota.
The prevailing market prices are K2.865 million per tonne of black gram (urad) and K3.9 million per tonne of pigeon pea (tur).
Black grams which India primarily purchases are commonly grown only in Myanmar, whereas pigeon peas, green grams and chickpeas are grown in African countries and Australia, Myanmar Pulses, Beans, Maize and Sesame Seeds Merchants Association stated.
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar