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Myanmar and Thailand, a top neighbouring trade partner among ASEAN, hit bilateral trade worth US$2 billion in the first five months (Oct-Feb) of the current financial year 2020- 2021, indicated the statistics issued by the Central Statistical Organization of the Ministry of Planning and Finance. The ministry reported exports surpassed imports in trade with Thailand, with exports reaching over $1.2 billion and imports valued at over $791.5 million. Thailand has been Myanmar’s largest trade partner among the ASEAN, followed by Singapore and Malaysia.

Thailand accounted for 18.48 per cent of total trade in 2016-2017FY with an estimated trade value of US$4.6 billion, 19.17 per cent in 2017-2018FY with a trade value of $5.57 billion, 40.38 per cent in 2018- 2019FY with $5.46 billion and over 40 per cent in 2019-2020FY with $5.117 billion, respectively. Exports of natural gas from the Taninthayi Region has contributed to the enormous increase in border trade with Thailand in the previous years. Last year, corn exports to Thailand 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 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 border trade is sluggish for now amid the coronavirus resurgences. Consequently, the trade via land border sharply fell in the current FY (2020-2021). Apart from its leading trade partner China, Myanmar’s external trade was mostly carried out with the regional trade partners. Trade with countries in the European Union, however, remained uncompetitive, compared with regional trade partners.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

The fishery exports through the Sino-Myanmar border has ground to a halt following the consequences and safety measures on the imported seafood amid the COVID-19 pandemic, traders stressed. Myanmar’s fishery export was experiencing a downturn due to the import restrictions triggered by the detection of the COVID-19 on fish imports in China. China was the second-largest buyer of Myanmar’s fishery products, accounting for US$254 million out of the overall fishery export value of $850 million in the past financial year2019-2020. At present, the fishery sector is dependent on maritime trade only. Export earnings from the fisheries sector over the first half (1 Oct-7 May) of the current Financial Year 2020-2021 touched a low of US$507.6 million, a decrease of $80.59 million from the year-ago period. According to statistics released by the Commerce Ministry, the figures stood at $588.25 million during a year-ago period.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) issued guidelines to ensure food safety during the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. Permitted companies are advised to carry out food safety plans, follow the WHO and FAO guidelines, formulate a safety management system. They must suspend exports if any suspicious foodborne virus or virus infection risk are found in the products. The export is likely to resume once the products meet food safety criteria set by the General Administration of Customs of the People Republic of China (GACC). Myanmar Fisheries Federation stated that only the G2G pact could tackle problems faced in exporting farm-raised fish and prawns and ensure smooth freight movement between countries in order to bolster exports. During the last FY2019-2020, MFF expected to earn more than $800 million from fishery exports, and it reached a target.

Myanmar exports fisheries products, such as fish, prawns, and crabs, to markets in 40 countries, including China, Saudi Arabia, the US, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, and countries in the European Union. The MFF is making concerted efforts to increase fishery export earnings by developing fish farming lakes that meet international standards and adopting advanced fishing techniques. The foreign market requires suppliers to obtain Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and Good Aquaculture Practices (GAqP) certificates to ensure food safety. Fishery products must be sourced only from hatcheries compliant with GAqP to meet international market standards. The MFF is working with fish farmers, processors, and the Fisheries Department under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation to develop the GAqP system. Processors can screen fishery products for food safety at ISO-accredited laboratories under the Fisheries Department.

There are 480,000 acres of fish and prawn breeding farms across the country and more than 120 cold-storage facilities in Myanmar. Myanmar exported 340,000 tonnes of fishery products worth $530 million in the 2013-2014FY, 330,000 tonnes worth $480 million in the 2014-2015FY, 360,000 tonnes worth $500 million in the 2015-2016FY, 430,000 tonnes worth $600 million in the 2016-2017FY, 560,000 tonnes worth $700 million in the 2017-2018FY and 580,000 tonnes worth over $730 million in the 2018-2019FY respectively, according to the Commerce Ministry. Myanmar’s economy is more dependent on the agricultural sector to a large extent. Also, the fisheries sector contributes a lot to the national gross domestic product (GDP). Its fishery production, including shrimps and saltwater and freshwater fish, is far better than the regional countries. Yangon Region Fisheries Department stated that if the government can boost processing technology, it can contribute to its economy. It will also earn more income for those stakeholders in the supply chain.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

The import value of Myanmar pharmaceutical products was estimated at US$228.5 million in the five months (Oct-Feb) of the current financial year 2020-2021, according to Myanmar Customs Department.

Myanmar imports 90 per cent of medicine and medical products through foreign markets, the Myanmar Chamber of Commerce for Pharmaceutical & Medical Device (MCCPMD) stated. India is the main supplier for Myanmar. Also, it is imported by Bangladesh, China, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, China (Taipei), Thailand, US and Viet Nam.

Trade has returned to normalcy after panic buying during the coronavirus pandemic. Most commonly prescribed drugs are available in the market. Only some are out of stock for now. At present, pharmaceutical import is regularly flowing. However, the prices of pharmaceuticals were up by 5 to 10 per cent, owing to the dollar appreciation. The Ministry of Commerce has cut the red tape for imports of some pharmaceuticals which have been earlier imported.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

The products that have been usually exported to the Man Wein checkpoint are now going to China through Kyin San Kyawt checkpoint due to the Man Wein checkpoint closure, said ViceChair U Min Thein of Muse Rice Wholesale Centre.
Man Wein checkpoint, which is one of the major border crossings between Myanmar and China, was closed on 30 March because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Now, the Man Wein checkpoint has been closed temporarily. Thus, rice and broken rice, pulses, aquatic products, onion, and chilli are exported to China through Kyin San Kyawt (Wan Ding) checkpoint. Earlier, the Kyin San Kyawt (Wan Ding) checkpoint used to export only the fruits such as watermelon, muskmelon and mangoes. Now, with the closure of Man Wein checkpoint, the foodstuffs are exported through the Kyin San Kyawt (Wan Ding) checkpoint. Besides, export of all the foodstuffs to China through the Kyin San Kyawt checkpoint has been delayed. It has been delayed.

Yesterday, watermelon and muskmelon were given priority to export to China via the Kyin San Kyawt checkpoint. A total of 315 truckloads entered through the Kyin San Kyawt checkpoint, including 215 truckloads of fresh stuff, 24 truckloads of rice and broken rice, 33 truckloads of pulses, seven truckloads of onion and four truckloads of chillies. But, a fiveday queue at the Man Wein post takes about 15 days in the Kyin San Kyawt checkpoint. The cargos were also inspected at the checkpoint, and it takes a long time. Currently, the Man Wein checkpoint has been closed for over one month because of COVID-19, and it has not been planned to reopen yet, according to the Muse 105th Mile 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 restriction imposed on the Kyalgaung area has been lifted starting from 4 May.

But, the observation is still going on for another three more months. As a result, the Man Wein checkpoint has not been planned to reopen. Further, in coordination with the Ruili Foreign Relations Department, the Man Wein checkpoint has not been reopened yet, and it will be reopened only after having the detailed plan, according to the Muse 105th Mile Trade Zone, the Trade Department. Therefore, the relevant traders will be informed if China has an official notification to reopen the crossing. The five land borders linking China and Myanmar are Muse in northern Shan State, Lwejel in Kachin State, Chinshwehaw in northeastern Shan State, Kampaiti in Kachin State and Kengtung in eastern Shan State, according to the Ministry of Commerce. Muse border sees an enormous volume with an estimated value of more than US$ 2.53 billion this FY between 1 October and 16 April. It decreased by over $35.3 million compared with the last year’s figures of $3.35 billion, the Ministry of Commerce’s data showed.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

The value of Myanmar’s imports between 1 October and 7 May in the current financial year 2020-2021 stood at US$9.115 billion, a sharp drop of $3.07 billion from $12.19 billion registered in the yearago period, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce. The value of imports in the consumer, capital, intermediate goods, and CMP businesses groups dropped in the current FY. Over the past seven months of the current FY, capital goods, such as auto parts, vehicles, machines, steel, and aeroplane parts, were brought into the country.

Their import value was estimated at $3.19 billion. The figure was over $1.537 million lower compared to the same period in the previous FY. Meanwhile, Myanmar imported consumer products worth $1.958 billion, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and palm oil. The imports of consumer products showed a slight decrease of $106.2 million compared with the same period in the previous FY. Inter mediate goods make up the second-largest share of Myanmar’s imports, with petroleum products and plastic raw materials being the main import items. This year, imports of raw materials plunged to $3.05 billion from $4.06 billion registered during the year-ago period.

During the same period, raw materials worth $912 million were also imported for the Cut-Make-Pack (CMP) garment sector, decreasing by $424.7 million compared with last budget year. At present, the CMP garment sector contributing to 30 per cent of Myanmar’s export sector is struggling due to the cancellation of order from the European countries and suspension of the trade by western countries amid the COVID-19. Therefore, import values of raw materials by CMP businesses have been dropping. The top 10 import countries to Myanmar are China, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Viet Nam, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the US, as per data of the Ministry of Commerce.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar