March 8
CHINA-MYANMAR cross-border Kyinsankyawt post, after a temporary closure following the detection of the coronavirus, resumed its trade however over 200 fruit trucks have been stuck in Wamding area, U Sai Khin Maung from the Khwanyo fruit warehouse stated.
“The cross-border trade via China’s Wamding port is pretty complex. Additionally, China’s Customs regulations cause the delay. Moreover, the health inspection team seems to wait for guidance. At present, almost all the buyers of watermelon and muskmelons are quarantined for seven days at the hostels in Changhaw yard. If the melon trucks pass the coronavirus test, they can enter the market on 10 March. Over 200 trucks are still stuck in the Wamding restricted zone,” U Sai Khin Maung quoted in his sayings.
If the trucks remain stranded in the Wamding area, we cannot expect to resume the trade for now. Despite the closure of the Kyinsankyawt checkpoint, the goods are not given nod to enter the market as the customs clearance process and the COVID tests are being undertaken, he continued.
At present, China’s inspection and quarantine mechanism is still processing for the imports of fruits, beans and pulses, corns, and rice, Khwanyo fruit warehouse stated.
Moreover, China’s short-haul trucking cost remains the upward trend, U Sai Khin Maung added.
“It pointed out greed and grievance in the difficult times. truck-loaded goods worth 40,000 Yuan (estimated at nearly K12 million) will cost over K10 million for general expenses. There is uncertainty for the resumption of trade in cross-border trade. Traders are concerned over the general expenses instead of foreign currency earnings,” he continued.
Following the detection of the COVID-19 cases in recent days, the short-haul drivers were isolated for two days and the disinfecting activities were carried out. China-Myanmar cross-border Kyinsankyawt post was shut down on 2 and 3 March 2022.
China shut down all the checkpoints linking to the Muse border amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the checkpoints, Kyinsankyawt resumed trading activity from 26 November on a trial run. Myanmar daily delivers rubber, various beans and pulses, dried plum, watermelon, muskmelon, and other food commodities to China through Kyinsankyawt and construction materials, electrical appliances, household goods, and industrial raw materials are imported into the country. — NN/GNLM
