The prices of black gram and pigeon pea plummeted as foreign demand faltered, according to Yangon Region Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Bayint Naung Commodity Centre).
The prices touched a high of K3.2 million per tonne of pigeon pea and K2.3 million per tonne of black gram on 1 July. The prices slipped to K3.115 million per tonne of pigeon pea and K2.198 million per tonne of black gram on 11 June, showing a sharp drop of K85,000 per tonne of pigeon pea and K102,000 per tonne of black gram.
Myanmar shipped more than 420,000 tonnes of pulses, with an estimated value of over $330 million, to foreign countries in Q1 during the 2023-2024 financial year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
Myanmar’s pulses exports crossed over US$1.4 billion from over 1.9 million tonnes in the past financial year 2022- 2023, the Ministry of Commerce’s statistics indicated.
Myanmar primarily exports black gram, green gram and pigeon peas to foreign markets. Of them, black gram and pigeon peas are mostly conveyed to India while green grams are shipped to China and Europe.
India has growing demand and consumption requirements for black gram and pigeon peas. According to a Memorandum of Understanding between Myanmar and India signed on 18 June 2021, India will import 250,000 tonnes of black gram and 100,000 tonnes of pigeon peas (tur) from Myanmar for five consecutive years from 2021- 2022 financial year to 2025-2026 FY. This G-to-G pact will not affect the pulses’ annual quota set by India. Myanmar’s exporters are also entitled to deliver the pulses to India under that annual quota.
Black grams that India primarily purchases are commonly found only in Myanmar, whereas pigeon peas, green grams and chickpeas are grown in African countries and Australia, Myanmar Pulses, Beans, Maize and Sesame Seeds Merchants Association. — NN/EM
