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Neighbouring Thailand is Myanmar’s major trading partner, which accounts for US$2.45 billion in the first half (October-March) of the current financial year 2020-2021, the statistics issued by the Central Statistical Organization under the Ministry of Planning and Finance indicated. The ministry reported that exports surpassed imports in trade with Thailand, with exports reaching over $1.55 billion and imports valued at over $901 million. Thailand has been Myanmar’s largest trade partner among the regional countries, followed by Singapore and Malaysia.

Thailand accounted for 18.48 per cent of total trade in 2016-2017 FY with an estimated trade value of US$4.6 billion, 19.17 pc in 2017-2018FY with a trade value of $5.57 billion, 40.38 pc in 2018-2019FY with $5.46 billion and over 40 pc in 2019-2020 FY with $5.117 billion respectively. Exports of natural gas from the Taninthayi Region contributed to the enormous increase in border trade with Thailand in the previous years. Last year, corn exports to Thailand also rose significantly as well, the Ministry of Commerce stated. Myanmar primarily exports natural gas, fishery products, coal, tin concentrate (SN 71.58 per cent), coconut (fresh and dry), beans, corns, bamboo shoots, sesame seeds, garment, footwear, plywood and veneer, broken rice and other commodities to Thailand.

It imports capital goods such as machinery, raw industrial goods such as cement and fertilizers, and consumer goods such as cosmetics, edible vegetable oil and food products from the neighbouring country. Myanmar is carrying out border trade with the neighbouring country Thailand through Tachilek, Myawady, Myeik, Mawtaung, Hteekhee, Kawthoung and Meisei border areas respectively. Among them, Myawady performed the largest trade in border trade with Thailand, followed by Hteekhee. Nevertheless, the trading activity via border is sluggish for now amid the coronavirus resurgences. Consequently, the trade via land border sharply fell in the current FY (2020-2021) as against last year. Apart from its main trade partner China, Myanmar’s external trade was mostly carried out with the regional trade partners.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar daily ships about 20,000 bags of rice to China through the Bhamo-Lwejel route, said U Min Thein, vice-chair of Muse Rice Wholesale Centre. Man Wein, a major border crossing between Myanmar and China for rice exports, came to an abrupt halt from 30 March, following the COVID-19 detection in the border.

As a result of this, the export channel was shifted to the Bhamo-Lwejel route, he continued. The rice is delivered from Mandalay to Bhamo, Kachin State by ship and sent to Lwejel, which is 59 miles away from Bhamo by truck. Lwejel border is next to China, U Min Thein said. Previously, it took about a month to China via the Mandalay-Muse route due to traffic congestion.

This new trade channel cut both the shipping time as well as the cost, he added. Man Wein border post has remained close even after two and half months. At present, Myanmar has been conducting border trade with China through Muse, Lwejel, Chinshwehaw, Kampaiti and Kengtung border posts. Muse border performed the best among them, according to the statistics released by the Trade Department under the Ministry of Commerce. 

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

In the six months from October to March of the 2020-2021 fiscal year, China topped the list of top 10 exporters from Myanmar with $ 2,941.56 million, followed by Thailand with US $ 1,551.23 million, according to the Ministry of Commerce. $ 498.39 million to Japan; $ 393.57 million to India; $ 349.06 million to the United States; $ 203.09 million to Spain; $ 202.93 million to Germany; $ 185.02 million to the UK; $ 167.24 million to South Korea; $ 152.96 million was exported to the Netherlands. From October 1 to the end of September of the 2019-2020 fiscal year, Myanmar-China trade amounted to more than $ 12.126 billion, with China importing more than $ 6.724 billion, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

From October to September of the 2019-2020 fiscal year, Myanmar-China trade amounted to $ 12126.278 million, with exports from Myanmar amounting to $ 5,401.943 million and imports from China worth $ 6,724.335 million. In the 2019-2020 fiscal year, Myanmar-India trade amounted to more than $ 1.3 billion, down more than $ 130 million from the same period last year. From October 1 to the end of September of the 2019-2020 fiscal year, Myanmar exported $ 616.464 million worth of exports to India, while India imported $ 696.937 million worth of goods, generating a total trade volume of $ 1,313.401 million.

In the first six months of the 2019-2020 fiscal year, Myanmar’s major trading partners were more than 33 percent with China; Thailand and 13.6 percent; Singapore 9.7%; Japan and 5.3 percent; India and 4%; Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, 34.3% trade with other countries Public Accounts Joint Committee; according to the Findings and Opinion Report No.(8/2020) regarding the first six months report of the National Plan for the fiscal year 2019-2020. From October 1 to the end of September of the 2019-2020 fiscal year, Myanmar’s exports were worth $ 3,095.988 million. Thailand imported $ 5,109.479 million worth of goods worth $ 2013.486 billion. The main priority areas of the National Export Strategy 2020-2025 are agro-based food production, textile and clothing sector, industry and electronics, fisheries sector, forest products, digital products and services, logistics services, quality management sector, trade Information services, innovation and entrepreneurship, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Source: Daily Eleven

The Indian government has signed an MoU to import 250,000 tonnes of black gram beans and 100,000 tonnes of pigeon peas from Myanmar through the annual private trade from fiscal year 2021-2022 to fiscal year 2025-2026, according to the Ministry of Commerce. The two sides have been negotiating since 2016 to sign the G to G Memorandum of Understanding (Draft) on black gram beans and pigeon peas trade cooperation between Myanmar and India. At present, the two governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation between Myanmar and India on June 18, 2021 under the G to G program to promote pulses and pulses trade between Myanmar and India, depending on the volume and consumption needs of Myanmar.

According to the MoU, the Indian government will import 250,000 tonnes of black gram beans and 100,000 tonnes of pigeon peas from Myanmar annually through private trade between the next five years, 2021-2022 to 2025-2026 (April to March), according to the Ministry of Commerce. The G to G MoU will not affect the international bean quota issued annually by the Government of India, and Myanmar bean exporters will also be able to participate in the international guota. In the 2019-2020 fiscal year, more than 1.6 million tonnes of pulses were exported, earning nearly $ 1.2 billion, an increase of nearly $ 190 million, despite a decrease of more than 23,000 tonnes from the previous year.

This fiscal year, Myanmar earned US $ 1,195.483 million (nearly 1.2 billion) from the export of 16.061 lakh tonnes (over 1.6 million tonnes) of pulses. It was 23,000 tonnes less than the previous fiscal year, but earned $ 169.232 million more. Last fiscal year, it exported 1.63 million tonnes of pulses, earning just $ 1.026 billion. Among domestic produced legumes, the black gram beans, pigeon peas and green peas are three main types of import. Among them, black gram beans and green peas are mainly exported to India, while green peas are mainly exported to China and some European countries. Myanmar has over 11 million acres of pulses grown annually, accounting for more than 35% of the total production of pulses and pulses. In Myanmar, a total of 11.45 million acres of pulses are cultivated annually for 18 varieties of pulses. Standing 25 percent; Pulses are grown at 15% and lentils at 8%.

Source: Daily Eleven

The domestic palm oil has slightly declined, tracking the import price retreat, said U San Lin, chair of Myanmar Edible Oil Dealers’ Association. The palm oil fell to US$995 per tonne in the international market. Consequently, it ranges K2,800-2,900 per viss (a viss equals 1.6 kg) in the domestic wholesale market. The oil palm plants produce fruits in abundance this time. The price is likely to extend its drop up to October if any trade barrier will not occur, U San Lin said. Normally, oil palm plants are plentiful in Malaysia this time. They produce the fruits from June to October.

In early January 2021, production slump in importing countries Malaysia and Indonesia, caused by erratic weather conditions and the COVID-19 impacts, high imports by certain countries under tax reduction, a tax hike on exports in producing countries and the short storage of palm oil in those countries contributed to the rise in edible oil price. The palm oil price stood at $1,055-1,200 per tonne in the foreign market.

Last 7 January, Myanmar Edible Oil Dealers’ Association issued a notice to import the palm oil from foreign countries sustainably for self-sufficiency, distribute the edible oil at a fair price to the consumers and ensure that there will be no edible oil shortage in regions and state when there is a rise in imported oil price. The domestic consumption of edible oil is estimated at 1 million tonnes per year. The local cooking oil production is just about 400,000 tonnes. To meet the self-sufficiency in the domestic market, about 700,000 tonnes of cooking oil are yearly imported.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

The price of rice in the domestic market continues rising regardless of the inactive market, said U Than Oo, secretary of Bayintnaung Rice Wholesale Centre. Bayintnaung wholesale market showed a significant decline in the volume of trading activity. The retail market is going regularly, U Than Oo stated.

Despite the inactive market, the prices of rice surged by K2,000 per bag. At present, the rice variety which is highly consumed in the domestic market fetches K32,000-35,000 per bag. Normally, the rice fetches a lower rate before Thingyan Festival (Myanmar New Year Festival in April). Shortly thereafter, the price usually goes up, he continued.

The price is unlikely to fall this month, Bayintnaung Rice Wholesale Centre reported. Only a small number of rice export companies are buying the rice at present. Those traders are planning to export them to Bangladesh only. About 80,000 bags of rice and broken rice were earlier traded per day at the Bayintnaung Rice Wholesale Centre, whereas the trade volume plummeted to about 30,000 bags at present.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar