Potato arrivals from various regions cause price to fall in Yangon market
- Wed, 1 March 2023
An entry of various varieties of domestic and foreign potatoes pushed down the price in the Yangon market, especially for large-sized potatoes, a potato trader Ko Thein Myint told the Global New Light of Myanmar (GNLM).
These days, potatoes from Sinphyukyun and Bhamo regions, potatoes from China and Bangladesh, as well as Shan potatoes, entered the market. With the influx of potatoes from the Sinphyukyun area, the price of large-sized potatoes has decreased. At the time of the arrival of Shan potatoes, the wholesale price of S1 and S2 sizes (large sizes) stood at K1,850 and K2,100 per viss respectively.
When Sinphyukyun potatoes entered the market, the wholesale price of S3 sizes including S1 and S2 sizes was only K1,400 per viss on 14 February.
Normal sizes of potatoes A1, OK, S1 and S2 were valued at K1,600, K1,700, K1,700 and K1,400 per viss each. Similarly, the price of Bhamo potatoes and China potatoes were only K2,000 and K2,150 per viss these days.
A total of 96,000 visses of potatoes from various regions arrived at the market on 18 February and 66,000 visses entered the market on 20 February. Potatoes from Bangladesh were sold in various sizes at depots in Yangon, and the price of medium-sized potatoes stood at only around K1,500 per viss. The price of large-sized potatoes decreased due to the low demand in the market.
In early December 2022, when onion was valued at K4,000 per viss, the price of potato was only half of the onion price. Currently, potato and onion prices are almost the same.
Although onion is a daily necessity, it is used less when the price is high. Potatoes are used as a side dish. Thus, when the potato price is high, consumers use other vegetables instead of potatoes.