Black gram, pigeon pea prices head for two-day retreat

The prices of black grams and pigeon peas have fallen again, indicating a significant drop of K92,000 per tonne of black gram and 113,000 per tonne of pigeon pea.
The prices were registered at K3.02 million per tonne of black grams and K3.863 million per tonne of pigeon peas on 16 March and then plunged to K2.928 million per tonne of black grams and K3.75 million per tonne of pigeon peas on 19 March.
The price fluctuation is closely tied to the demand of the main buyer, India and the kyat-dollar exchange rate.
The price hit a new peak of K3.5 million per tonne of black gram and K4.197 million per tonne of pigeon pea on 5 February 2024.
India also imports the black gram (urad) from Brazil and other countries. Yet, they prefer Myanmar’s black grams on account of better quality and higher availability of supply. India extended the free import policy of black grams (urad) and pigeon peas (tur) up to March 2025.
Myanmar conveyed over 1.48 million tonnes of various pulses worth US$1.256 billion in the past 11 months of the current financial year 2023-2024, the Ministry of Commerce stated.
Myanmar mainly exports black gram, green grams, and pigeon peas to foreign markets. Of them, black grams and pigeon peas are primarily shipped to India, while green grams are exported to China and Europe.
India has growing consumption requirements for black grams 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 yearly quota.
The Myanmar Pulses, Beans, Maize and Sesame Seeds Merchants Association stated that black grams, which India primarily purchases, are commonly found only in Myanmar, whereas pigeon peas, green gram and chickpeas are grown in African countries and Australia. — NN/EM