Myanmar experienced political turmoil in the last few days and the borders were temporarily closed. People in the banana industry were worried about trade interruptions, but the customs offices at Houqiao and Zhangfeng were soon opened again and banana trade resumed.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the Myanmar military placed several high-ranking officials including state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest. The military announced a state of emergency on the first of February. Based on stipulations in the constitution, this state of emergency will last one year. When the coup spread to the north, the banana trade was temporarily interrupted.
Banana farmers suffer the most from a closed border. The banana supply season recently started in north Myanmar, and the banana price is slowly rising. The temporary closure of the borders had an immediate impact on the income of banana farmers, some of whom suffered financial loss.
According to people in the industry trucks from China were sent back at the border with Myanmar, but that situation was soon resolved and regular trade resumed. The Sino-Myanmar banana trade had already suffered a lot because of the Covid-19 outbreak last year. The banana trade can not take much more.
Source: Ncw 365
