Myanmar is one of the few countries that has a rice surplus in the world, despite the challenges posed by the El Niño climate phenomenon and the border trade disruptions with China.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, Myanmar has more than three million tons of rice surplus, while many other rice export/import countries are facing high demand/supply imbalances due to the effects of El Niño.

Myanmar’s exports reached over $254 million from December 9 to 15, 2023, with rice and broken rice accounting for $32 million. The Ministry of Commerce also reported that in the current 2023-2024 fiscal year, from April 1 to December 1, exports of 792,412 tons of rice and broken rice amounted to $378.641 million.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation estimated that 13 million tons of rice could be produced from the monsoon and summer paddy yields, while the domestic consumption is only 9.1 million tons of rice. The Ministry of Commerce said that up to 3.6 million tons of rice and broken rice were exported annually.

However, Myanmar’s rice exports have also faced some difficulties due to the ongoing situation in northern Shan State, which has affected the border trade with China.

 U Ye Min Aung, president of Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF), said in a press conference on November 25 that rice is being exported to China only by sea, and that more than 600,000 tons of rice were exported from April to mid-November, a decrease of nearly half compared with the same period last year.