China to increase Myanmar’s rice export quota to 400,000 tonnes

NAYPYITAW, Apr 25, 2019, The Myanmar Times. China has agreed to import 400,000 tonnes of rice from Myanmar via sea, increasing its import quota for Myanmar rice from 100,000 tonnes currently, U Khin Maung Lwin, assistant secretary from the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), told The Myanmar Times. “Rice can be shipped to China soon,” he said, reported The Myanmar Times.

The development comes after the two countries discussed increasing the rice export quota for Myanmar to 400,000 tonnes at the 2nd China-Myanmar Economic Corridor Forum held in February in Yunnan Province, according to the Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF).

During the forum, officials from Myanmar urged the Chinese to ink a formal trade agreement between the two countries for the export of rice and broken rice to China.

“Broken rice is not included in this quota of 400,000 tonnes. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation is working on an MOU for General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) registration for agricultural, livestock, marine and industrial products exported to China, after which broken rice can be exported to China via sea very soon,” said U Khin Maung Lwin.

In 2016, Myanmar was allowed export a quota of 100,000 tonnes of rice to China. The Chinese also said that while it encourages official exports of rice and broken rice at the border, it would take strict action against illegal exports, the MRF said.

China is the main rice export market for Myanmar and most exports are conducted at the border. Other export markets are Europe, Africa and Asia..

According to statistics released by the MRF, Myanmar exported about 2 million tonnes of rice worth about US$650 million from the start of April 2018 to the end of March 2019. The country earned up to US$130 million from exporting over 450,000 tonnes of broken rice over the same period.