Myanmar [Burma] Rice insights

According to Myanmar media reports, the Myanmar Rice and Rice Federation (MRF) announced that in September, Myanmar exported more than 219,500 tons of rice and broken rice to foreign countries. It is said that this rice export was exported by 62 companies, with 140,000 tons of rice and 75,000 tons of broken rice exported. It is more than twice the export volume in the same period last year. In addition, the largest amount of rice was exported in September this year, with an export value of US$104 million. The increase in rice exports is a positive signal for Myanmar's rice export industry, but some people are worried that the floods that broke out in recent months and September have damaged many acres of crops and affected Myanmar's food security. If you look at the export volume of rice and broken rice over the years, it was 85,000 tons in September 2023 and more than 90,000 tons in September 2022. There has never been a single-month export of more than 100,000 tons. Of the rice exported in September, only 2,836 tons of rice were exported through the border, and the rest of the rice was exported by sea. More than 98% of total rice exports were exported by sea. This is due to the reduction in border exports caused by armed conflicts and regional instability. In September 2022, rice and broken rice exported from the border accounted for 50% of total exports, but by September 2023, rice and broken rice exported through the border accounted for only 10%, and this year, border exports accounted for only about 1%. Currently, border ports with Bangladesh and most of the trade ports on the China-Myanmar border have suspended trade. In addition, the Myawaddy trade port on the Myanmar-Thailand border has also reduced trade due to the blockade of the Asian New Highway. Myanmar regularly exports more than 2 million tons of rice and broken rice each year, but in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, only nearly 1.7 million tons of rice and broken rice were exported. Now, according to data released by the Myanmar Rice and Rice Federation (MRF), the total rice and broken rice exports in the first six months of the 2024-2025 fiscal year exceeded 930,000 tons, more than twice the same period last year.

Global grain production is forecast to rise in 2024, with increases in wheat and rice and declines in coarse grains - FAO summary.

This month, the FAO slightly raised its latest forecast for world cereal production in 2024 to 2,853 million tonnes, reflecting higher production.