Pigeon peas produced in Myanmar this season fetched great prices due to the demand from foreign countries, according to bean dealers in Mandalay.
Pigeon peas harvested this year have good yields as well as great colours and sizes due to fine weather. A bag containing three baskets of pigeon peas cost K175,000 in the same period last year. This year, the price of a bag containing three baskets of pigeon peas was valued at K385,000, doubling the price of the previous year, U Soe Win Myint, an owner of the Soe Win Myint commodity depot, said.
“People in Myanmar consume fewer green beans. Indians prefer Myanmar pigeon peas because they are free of chemicals and have a unique taste. All the pigeon peas produced are exported every year, and they have a strong hold on market share. The higher demand for pigeon peas in India this year raised the price. Pigeon peas are exported to Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan every year, in addition to India. Pigeon peas are grown as a winter crop only for one season, and they are being sold well in the Mandalay market,” he continued.
There are three types of pigeon peas produced in Myanmar: pigeon peas (red gram), white gram, and striped gram. Pigeon peas are cultivated in Mandalay, Magway, and Sagaing regions and later succeed in expanding cultivation in Kayah and Shan States. Therefore, farmers are recommended to grow more pigeon peas, which have a strong market share. — Min Htet Aung (Mandalay Sub-printing House)/CT
