Significant Growth in Exports of Pulses, Maize, and Sesame from Myanmar

26-May-2026 12:48 PM

Yangon. During the financial year 2025-26 (April–March), Myanmar—India's northeastern neighbor—exported 1.77 million tonnes of pulses, 1.23 million tonnes of maize, and over 117,000 tonnes of sesame seeds, valued at $1.80 billion.

According to a leading trade body—the Myanmar Pulses, Beans, Maize, and Sesame Seeds Merchants Association—these key agricultural products are exported from Myanmar to more than 40 countries worldwide.

The primary destinations include India, Thailand, the Philippines, China, and Vietnam. Myanmar exports substantial quantities of Urad and Arhar (Tur) pulses to India, maize to Thailand, and Moong and sesame seeds to China.

The availability of vast markets in these countries has greatly facilitated Myanmar's efforts to boost the export of its major agricultural products. Consequently, special emphasis is being placed on increasing the production of these commodities domestically to maximize economic returns.

Myanmar ranks among the world's leading producers of Urad and Moong pulses. The agricultural sector serves as the backbone of Myanmar's economy, contributing over 30 percent to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Pulses are cultivated across approximately 10 million acres of land in the country; following rice, pulses and beans constitute Myanmar's second most important agricultural produce.