CNI News 

2022, July 9

According to cross-border traders, good price is not paid when onions are exported owing to the onion price surge in the country, thereby onion exports to China, Thailand and Bangladesh being suspended.

 U Aung Naing, a trader from Maungdaw Border Trade Centre, told CNI that although the price of one viss of onion in the local market is around K1500, that price amount is not being paid when exported, hence, exports are halted and he is waiting for the time which will come with better prices.

U Aung Naing said, “Here, onions are not exported at all these days. It’s been about a month. Onion costs 400-500 kyats per viss here, thus, it is reasonable for export when you get 600-700 kyats. Now, by the time the price is nearly K1500-2000, it is still 40 QAR (Qutar currency) like before, 30-40 QAR per one kilo. There is no change in the price over there while it has gone up here. We just have to wait to get a better price.”

 The onion price amounted to K1650 per viss at present in the local market, soaring up to K2000 last June.

In addition, there is a decline and even a cessation in onion purchases from China, Thailand and Bangladesh.

Due to the suspension of onion exports, there are no buyers although nearly 20 onion trucks arrived at trade business and commodity exchange centers, according to Bayintnaung Commodity Exchange Center.

U Zaw Htay, an onion trader, said that sales in onion market is sluggish with no purchases at this time also in Magway Region, where onion is the main crop.

“Brokers now have their ways blocked as the onions they bought and stored cannot be sold. I heard that there are not ways both in and out, as a result, there are no buyers also in the countryside, leading to sales inactivity as a consequence.”, said U Zaw Htay.

It is further known that despite the fact that onion export is desisted, there are also farmers who buy and store onions while anticipating getting good prices.