Myanmar will send 18 tons of medium-grade coffee to Switzerland this month, the latest shipment to one of several far-flung richer countries that are seen as vital to sustaining the nascent industry.
It will be the second 18 ton shipment to the country, following a batch that was sent last year, the Myanmar Coffee Association said.
As Myanmar looks to boost the quality of its coffee exports, industry leaders see limited potential in neighbouring markets like Thailand, and have instead began wooing buyers from Europe and the US.
“We will ship the coffee to Switzerland before end of April,” said U Min Hlaing, secretary of the Myanmar Coffee Association. The announcement comes after a delegation from Switzerland came on a trip to Myanmar to test the quality of the coffee, he added.
The Mandalay Myanmar Coffee Group is selling the batch to an undisclosed buyer or buyers in Switzerland.
Since economic liberalisation Myanmar entrepreneurs have seen opportunity in cultivating higher quality beans to penetrate the global market. But exporters have struggled because prices for quality Arabica beans from Myanmar are generally higher than from other countries.
“Myanmar coffee grabbed the interest of international coffee drinkers in early 2016, but the industry is still negotiating for better prices,” said U Ye Myint, chairman of the Myanmar Coffee Association.
The American market is among those showing interest in higher grade Myanmar coffee. Last year, Myanmar exported 36 tons to the US at $7 per kilo.
Other major buyers include Japan and Taiwan, but Myanmar’s closer Asian neighbours have shown less interest.
But Myanmar did recently export a batch of coffee worth $22,960 to Thailand, according to border trade statistics from the Ministry of Commerce.
Source: Myanmar Business Today
