Black gram, pigeon pea prices bounce back slightly

The prices of black gram and pigeon pea rebounded in the domestic market, reflecting an increase of K138,000 per tonne of black gram and K65,000 per tonne of pigeon pea in the past two days.
The prices rose to K3.188 million per tonne of black gram and K3.965 million per tonne of pigeon pea on 16 February from K3.05 million per tonne and K3.9 million per tonne of pigeon pea on 14 February.
India’s demand weighs on Myanmar’s black gram and pigeon pea prices. Robust demand by India on 5 February hit K3.5 million per tonne of black gram and K4.197 million per tonne of pigeon pea.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, Myanmar exported 1.3 million tonnes of pulses worth US$1,123 million to foreign markets in the past ten months of the current financial year 2023-2024.
Myanmar bagged over US$ 1.47 billion from 1.9 million tonnes of pulses exports last FY 2022-2023.
Myanmar mainly exports black grams, green grams and pigeon peas to foreign markets. 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 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 cultivated only in Myanmar, whereas pigeon peas, green grams and chickpeas are grown in African countries and Australia. — NN/EM