Myanmar corn exports increasingly depend on Thailand as overseas markets shrink
Myanmar now exports corn to only three countries, down from ten previously, and relies primarily on Thailand, according to the Myanmar Corn Industrial Association. National production has also declined from more than 3 million tonnes to just over 2.5 million tonnes.
Myanmar’s corn trade narrows to three overseas markets
Myanmar’s corn exporters have become increasingly dependent on Thailand after the number of active overseas markets fell from ten to three. U Aye Chan Aung, chairman of the Myanmar Corn Industrial Association, described the change at the association’s first annual general meeting, according to an October 1 statement from the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, or UMFCCI.
Democratic Voice of Burma reported that Thailand is now the principal destination for Myanmar corn. The contraction in market coverage raises concentration risk for exporters: changes in Thai demand, purchasing conditions or border trade can now have a greater effect on sales than when shipments were spread across ten countries. The source did not identify the other two current destinations or provide a breakdown of export volumes by market.
Production falls from more than 3 million tonnes
The narrowing of export outlets is occurring alongside lower domestic production. In previous years, Myanmar harvested more than 3 million tonnes of corn, but output has fallen for various reasons and currently stands at just over 2.5 million tonnes, U Aye Chan Aung said. The report did not specify the period over which the decline occurred or quantify the contribution of individual factors.
When production exceeded 3 million tonnes, domestic consumption was approximately 1 million tonnes and Myanmar could export around 2 million tonnes, according to the UMFCCI statement cited by Democratic Voice of Burma. No current export-volume figure was disclosed. The available data therefore show a smaller crop and fewer markets, but do not establish how much of the present harvest is shipped abroad or consumed locally.
Feed demand competes with export availability
Corn is an essential raw material for Myanmar’s livestock industry and feed mills. This domestic requirement limits the volume available for foreign buyers and gives local feed users a direct interest in crop conditions and export demand. With current output more than 500,000 tonnes below the earlier level of more than 3 million tonnes, the balance between domestic consumption and exports has become tighter, although the report provided no current consumption estimate.
Northern Shan State is Myanmar’s main corn-growing area. Corn is also cultivated in Sagaing Region and Ayeyarwady Region. Production and logistics in these areas are consequently important not only for farmers and processors, but also for feed manufacturers, traders and buyers serving the Thai market.
Market concentration increases commercial exposure
Reliance on one principal destination leaves exporters with fewer alternatives if trade conditions change. A broader customer base previously allowed shipments to be distributed across ten countries; the present three-market structure gives individual buyers and trade routes greater importance. For producers, that concentration can make access to the Thai market a stronger influence on purchasing activity and the movement of harvested corn.
Myanmar’s wider economic environment has deteriorated since the 2021 military takeover, while exports have declined, Democratic Voice of Burma reported. The corn sector now faces both reduced production and a narrower set of foreign buyers. Restoring access to additional destinations would reduce dependence on Thailand, while maintaining output remains necessary to supply domestic livestock and feed industries as well as overseas customers.
