Myanmar notes record high in rice exports primarily to China

13 February 2023
Myanmar notes record high in rice exports primarily to China
A Myanmar workers pushes a sack of rice on a transport cart to pile it up at the storage of a rice mill in the town of oulmeingyun in the Ayeyarwaddy region, Myanmar. Photo: EPA

According to a report from the Myanmar Rice Federation, the export of rice and broken rice in January reached the record high during ten months starting from April 2022, its major export market being China.

Trade volume of rice and broken rice in January 2023 was 268,835 metric tons and it rose by 40,390 metric tons in comparison with December figures. In November and December 2022, Bangladesh was the major export market with the highest trade volume but in January 2023 China became the largest export market for Myanmar rice and broken rice.

The number of rice and broken rice exporting companies rose by seven more companies than in December 2022. In January, rice export was 171,811 metric tons and broken rice export was 97,024 metric tons of which 222,414 metric tons were exported by sea and 46,421 metric tons by border trade.

Myanmar earned a total US$107 million from these exports and this is the highest in the last ten months.

Total Myanmar rice importing countries are 27 and China is the largest with 56,674 metric tons. Total Myanmar broken rice importing countries are 14 and also China is the largest market with 68,789 metric tons. All of the other four largest Myanmar broken rice importing countries are from Europe.

Currently the price of rice in the domestic market is rising. According to the Agriculture Marketing and Information Association (AMIA), reporting in mid-February, the amount of rice exports look set to rise.