October 14, 2020
The number of Myanmar’s exports to the neighbouring countries through border trade showed a decrease of US$66.57 million in the last financial year 2019-2020 compared with the FY2018-2019, resulted from the trade suspension and closure of border crossings as a precautionary restriction measure for the COVID-19. The export through border trade reached $7.152 billion in the FY2019-2020, which was slightly plunged from $7.219 billion in the FY2018-2019, the Ministry of Commerce’s trade data showed.
Myanmar’s border trade totalled $10.58 billion in the FY2019-2020. As usual, Myanmar’s export outperformed import in border trade, with export worth $7.15 billion and import valued $3.42 million.
Myanmar has opened 18 border posts between Myanmar and the neighbouring countries; with China through Muse, Lwejel, Chinshwehaw, Kampaiti and Kengtung, with Thailand through Myawady, Kawthoung, Myeik, Hteekhee, Tachilek, Mawtaung, Maese, with Bangladesh through Sittway and Maungtaw, with Laos through Kyaiklat and with India through Tamu, Reed and Thantlang.
Of them, all Sino-Myanmar border trade posts showed a drop in trade value. Similarly, major trade post Hteekhee with Thailand has also registered the sharp drop while the trade with India via Tamu and Reed again fell. Only the border trade with Bangladesh through Sittway and Maungtaw sharply rose, the trade data indicated.
Border trade stood at $4.868 billion through Muse, $140.7 million through Lwejel, $541.48 million through Chinshwehaw, $280.88 million through Kampaiti, $5 million through Kengtung, $142 million through Tachilek, $1.2 billion through Myawady, $360.5 million through Kawthoung, $141.7 million through Myeik, $2.035 billion through Hteekhee, $18.8 million through Mawtaung, $2.78 million through Maese, $736.8 million through Sittway, $11.55 million through Maungtaw, $41.5 million through Tamu, $50.8 million through Reed and $0.4 million through Kyaiklat respectively.
Myanmar primarily exports rice, various types of beans, sesame seeds, corn, fruits and vegetables, dried tea leaves, fishery products, natural gas, rubber, gem, animal products and spice to the neighbouring countries. At the same time, it imports capital goods such as machinery and motorbikes, raw industrial goods such as CMP raw materials, cement and fertilizers, and consumer goods such as cosmetics, edible vegetable oil and food products.—Ko Htet (Translated by Ei Myat Mon)
GNLM
