CNI News
6 September 2023
Although Bangladesh has offered to buy Myanmar sugar because it wants to meet its domestic demand, Myanmar can export the sugar to Bangladesh only next year, according to the Myanmar Sugar & Cane Related Products Association.
If the sugar is exported to Bangladesh next year, only excess amount than the domestic consumption can be exported, said U Win Htay, vice chairman of the Myanmar Sugar and Cane Related Products Association, to CNI News.
Bags of sugar are being carried
" Although Bangladesh has offered to buy sugar from Myanmar, Myanmar can sell only next year. Because Vietnam also wants to buy Myanmar sugar, they are sending letters here. But the Myanmar side can't sell. We need to have enough sugar for the domestic consumption as well. And the sugar price is a bit high.
Another thing , next year, sugar mills will also increase. We can increase selling a lot in the market. But we can export the sugar only when we have extra than the domestic consumption. We still don't know the amount they will buy." said U Win Htay.
It would be less likely to be able to sell if foreign countries wanted to buy 20,000 tons of sugar each month, he added.
" For example, Vietnam wants to buy 10,000 tons a month and so does another country. If 20,000 tons are wanted from abroad, we don't have that amount to sell. But the production will increase. And domestic consumption will also increase. We have take to that into account." said U Win Htay.
After meeting the domestic demand, excess sugar is exported to Vietnam and the Philippines.
Domestic sugar consumption is about 350,000 tons, and over 70,000 tons is being exported, said the Myanmar Sugar and Cane Related Products Association.
This year, the sugar price is 110,000 kyats per ton. So, peasants will grow more sugar cane and if the sugar is exported more than before, peasants will be able to sell sugar cane at a higher price, said U Maung Swe, a sugar cane peasant, to CNI News.
While storing sugar bags.
" This year, peasants grow more sugar cane. Sugar mills also provide loans. The yield this year increases than last year. The price of sugar cane is 110,000 kyats per ton, so peasant will grow on more acres in the coming year. The yield will increase by 30 to 40 percent. If the yield really increase, the sugar must be exported. All the sugar produced in Myanmar cannot consumed domestically. If the sugar is exported, its price will be higher. If the price is higher, sugar mills buy sugar cane from peasants at a higher price. So, it is more convenient for peasants." said U Maung Swe.
Because Bangladesh wanted to buy Myanmar sugar, there was a discussion between Bangladesh and the Myanmar Sugar and Cane Related Products Association in August reportedly.
The sugar exporting period has come to an end. Sugar cane cultivation will probably increase in the coming year and production of sugar will probably increase.
So, Myanmar sugar will probably be exported more, according to the Myanmar Sugar and Cane Related Products Association.
