Myanmar exports 100,000 tonnes black beans, falling short of target to India

August 11, 2020

 

By Nyein Nyein

 

MYANMAR can export about 100,000 tonnes of black beans out of 400,000 tonnes to India by August-end deadline, said Chair U Min Ko Oo of Myanmar Pulses, Beans and Sesame Seeds Merchants Association.

 

India rapidly changed the import period of black bean to three months by August-end 2020 from the earlier set deadline of March 2021, as per their official notice.

 

Myanmar can ship about 100,000 tonnes as India suddenly narrowed the import deadline for the entire quota of 400,000 tonnes to a shorter period.

 

“It is late that India’s companies have been granted import licence. If the deadline is Aprilend, the country can ship only 20-25 per cent of quota (approximately 80,000-100,000 tonnes),” he noted.

 

With the changes in India’s policy on bean importation, Myanmar still falls short of the target. The growers have already sold out the beans and they are in the hands of traders. They have stockpiled around 200,000-250,000 tonnes of black beans, the association stated.

 

Myanmar Pulses, Beans and Sesame Seeds Merchants Association has asked India’s Embassy to Myanmar and the Ministry of Commerce to extend the deadline for black bean import as the deadline is August-end.

 

“Earlier, the import quota of 400,000 tonnes of black beans was set for the 2020-2021 Fiscal Year. Later, they narrowed the deadline by August-end. However, we will continue appealing for the deadline extension”, MPBSSMA Chair said.

 

At present, the prices of the black bean are remained unchanged at around K942,500 per tonne, while pigeon peas are priced K803,500 per tonne, as per the market’s data.

 

Myanmar is the top producing country of black bean that India demands. Besides Myanmar, Australia and Africa grow other kinds of peas such as pigeon peas, green grams and yellow peas, the association stated. (Translated by Ei Myat Mon)