Suspended demand from China drives onion price down

According to the Mandalay onion traders, the price of monsoon onions fell because of suspended demand from China and Myawady border area.
The onion growers, as well as the traders, are losing their profit from growing the monsoon onion.

This year, the earlier harvested monsoon onion was highly demanded by China and Myawady border area.

The price of onions plunged to below K400 per viss (a viss equals 1.6 kg) in the farmer market because of an abundant supply of onion to the border area and lower quality of onion caused by the delay on the road.

“Most of the Chinese traders are highly demanding the onion. Previously, over 100 truckloads of onions were entering the border area. Now, the Chinese traders are offering a low price for the onion. Consequently, the onion traders with loaded trucks on the way and the local growers face the loss of the profit. The entering of the onion to Myingyan, Pakokku and Mandalay depots has also dropped. It is not easy to lift the onion price,” said an onion trader from Mandalay market.

The onion was priced around K500 per viss depending on quality for early harvested monsoon onions at the end of December. More than 400,000 visses were entering daily Myingyan, Pakokku and Mandalay depots. Now, the entering of the onion to the depots has significantly dropped.

The onions are primarily grown in Mandalay, Magway and Yangon regions, Nay Pyi Taw and Shan State.

Aye Maung (Translated by Hay Mar)