The pulse sector in Myanmar has emerged as a crucial income source for farmers during the triple crisis, driven by increased export demand and domestic consumption, as well as reduced production costs and irrigation requirements. However, pulse growers still face several challenges, including escalating fertilizer prices, conflict, border closures, and inadequate government support in terms of credit and extension services. This working paper focuses on assessing the performance and competitiveness of the pulse sector during the pre/post monsoon growing seasons of 2021 and 2022. The analysis is based on recall data obtained from the Myanmar Agricultural Performance Survey (MAPS), conducted between August 2022 and September 2022.
During the 2021/2022 pre/post monsoon seasons, pulses were the primary non-paddy crop for 25 percent of farmers nationwide. Despite the persistent increase in fertilizer prices, a small percentage of pulse farmers continued to utilize fertilizers, including urea and compound fertilizer. Although the quantity of fertilizer applied increased between 2021 and 2022, the overall utilization rate of chemical fertilizers remains inadequate in terms of quantity and imbalanced in terms of essential elements such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Inadequate fertilizer usage and an upswing in pest and disease problems resulted in reduced yields, particularly for green gram, chickpea, and other varieties.
Despite yield reductions and higher cultivation costs over the past two years, pulse farmers have benefited from higher farm gate prices. In comparison to paddy rice production, pulse production which uses less chemical and physical inputs yielded relatively higher net returns. Despite facing challenges such as income decline, the coup, and the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers have shown resilience, with pulses emerging as a silver lining in the agricultural sector. To ensure the future sustainability of the pulse sector, it is crucial to address issues related to seed access, credit availability, export diversification, and compliance with international quality standards.
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