The prices of black gram and pigeon peas have begun to fall in the domestic market, tracking a slide in FOB prices.
The prices stood only at K2.972 million per tonne of black gram and K4.075 million per tonne of pigeon pea on 2 November and dipped to K2.867 million per tonne of black gram and K3.9 million per tonne of pigeon pea on 6 November, indicating a sharp drop of over K100,000 per tonne for black gram and over K170,000 per tonne for pigeon pea within five days.
The FOB prices were US$1,070-1,090 per tonne of black gram and $1,320-1,340 per tonne of pigeon pea on 6 November, according to Yangon Region Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Bayintnaung Wholesale Depot).
Myanmar’s various pulses export earnings were estimated at over $800 million from over 950,000 tonnes over the past six months of the current financial year 2023-2024 beginning 1 April. Myanmar’s pulses exports earned over US$1.4 billion from over 1.9 million tonnes in the previous FY 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 shipped to India while green grams are exported to China and Europe.
Black grams which India primarily purchases are commonly grown only in Myanmar, whereas pigeon peas, green grams and chickpeas are grown in African countries and Australia, stated the Myanmar Pulses, Beans, Maize and Sesame Seeds Merchants Association. — NN/EM
