October 15
China accounts for 60 per cent of Myanmar’s green gram exports. In addition, countries in the European Union, India, Thailand and Viet Nam also purchase green grams from Myanmar.
Myanmar conveyed more than 673,122 tonnes of green gram to foreign trade partners during the financial year 2020-2021, according to the Ministry of Commerce’s trade data.
The country generated an income of US$525.38 million from the exports of green gram over the past ten months.
At present, the price of green gram is over K125,000 per three-basket bag depending on the varieties and quality.
China accounts for 60 per cent of Myanmar’s green gram exports. In addition, countries in the European Union, India, Thailand and Viet Nam also purchase green grams from Myanmar. China prefers green grams (Shwe Wah) variety. At present, the demand slips due to border trade restrictions amid the COVID-19, traders said.
China makes value-added products from green grams and sends them to foreign markets. Moreover, it produces bean by-products as feedstuffs.
Myanmar’s green gram exports were registered at over 330,000 tons in the 2015-2016 fiscal year, over 400,000 tons in the 2016-2017FY, and over 350,000 tons in the 2017-2018FY and over 300,000 in the 2018-2019FY. Green grams are mostly exported to China through the border trade channels.
Of the total pulses’ exports, green gram accounted for more than 26 per cent of the exports in the previous years.
As per green gram plantation data, there are over 300,000 acres of plantations in the country. Green gram are primarily grown in Sagaing, Magway, Mandalay, Yangon, Bago, and Ayeyawady regions and Mon and Kayin states. — KK/GNLM
