Myanmar’s rice exports to China have risen steadily despite Beijing officially banning shipments of rice from Myanmar in 2014, according to the Myanmar Rice Federation. Myanmar’s rice exports will top 2 million tons this year with the resumption of official shipments in May. MRF Joint Secretary Dr. Soe Tun said, “We expect to export around 2 million tons of rice in 2015-2016 fiscal year and 3,000 tons of rice will be delivered to China next month. Myanmar exported about 1.8 million tons of rice, including 400,000 tons of broken rice, in 2014-2015 fiscal year, up
from 1.27 million in 2013-2014 fiscal year and 1.46 million in fiscal year 2012-2013.” “Last year’s export volume was the highest in 50 years, earning US $644 million,” he added.
In 2014, the government of China requests Myanmar to make a trade contract on a guarantee of rice milling quality. China is the largest rice exports market for Myanmar and most of the rice exports to Chiana are grown in the Ayeyarwady Delta. Though China restricted importing rice from Myanmar, it is legal in Myanmar to export rice to China. In the early days of this year, members of Myanmar Rice Federation and Ministry of Commerce negotiated with the responsible party in order to export rice officially to China from Myanmar.
The United States was one of the 64 countries to import rice from Myanmar in the previous fiscal year. “A total of 17 tons of Paw Hsan Hmwe, fragrant aroma rice, was exported to the US market,” Dr Soe Tun said. Myanmar exported around 900,000 tons to China a year earlier. Myanmar rice exports to Africa were down, while demand from Europe was up last year. Rice shipments to Japan totaled only 6,000 tons in the last fiscal year.
Last year earnings from Myanmar rice exports is $644 million which is an increase from $460 million the previous year and $544 million in fiscal 2012-2013. Ministry of commerce announced that Myanmar exports rice to China, Japan, and other countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.
According to the country’s agricultural data, Myanmar produces 14 million tons of rice yearly, with domestic consumption accounting for 12 million tons. With around 7 million paddy growers, Myanmar has some 16 million acres of farmland for monsoon paddy cultivation and 3 million for summer paddy cultivation.
