MANDALAY bean merchants say the new batch of green grams (anyar shwe wah) for the new year are already entering into local markets. U Soe Win Myint (Soe Win Myint Sales Center) from Mandalay said the green grams from DaikU, Penwegon and Kyauktada townships of Bago Region have been entering Mandalay’s markets at a rate of five 12-wheeled trucks per day.
He said the weather had been on their side and not only has production increased from last year, prices are a bit higher as well. U Soe Win Myint said India bought 200,000 tons of green grams in May 2019 and farmers and merchants are hoping India will sign a contract to purchase them again in 2020.
Similarly, the anyar shwe wah variety of green grams have began to enter the markets of Madaya and Singu townships in Mandalay Region and Myaung and Myinmu townships of Sagaing Region and are fetching K10,000 more for each bag containing 3 baskets compared to last year.
At the same rate of 3 baskets per bag currently, the shwe wah variety of green grams fetch K120,000 and the anyar shwe wah variety fetch K116,000, with the main buyers from China. Green grams are cultivated in Mandalay, Sagaing, Magway, Yangon, Ayeyawady and Bago regions all year round in the same manner as rice and is also a high demand crop. Mung beans are the top export crops from Myanmar followed by green grams.—Min Htet Aung
(Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
