Myanmar’s areca nut export to India showed a substantial increase in the 2024-2025 financial year (April-March), according to the Economic Attaché in Kolkata, citing a report by The Hindu Business Line.
According to the statistics provided by the lower House of India’s Parliament, the value of areca nut exports to India by Myanmar and Bangladesh surged last FY. Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, submitted a letter describing the areca nut import between 2021-2022 FY and 2024-2025 FY to the parliament.
India’s area nut imports from Myanmar hit US$15.6 million in FY 2023-2024, and the import value edged up to $33.2 million in FY 2024-2025.
Similarly, the value of areca nut imports from Bangladesh also went up to $53.06 million in FY 2024-2025 from $13.29 million in FY 2023-2024.
India’s areca nut import amounted to $143.45 million in FY 2024-2025, $147.99 million in FY 2023-2024 FY and $90.18 million in FY 2021-2022.
Chinese demand for Myanmar’s soft, fresh and moist areca nuts is on an upward trajectory. Myanmar’s areca nut market has become widespread. There is competitive pricing in the market. The conical-shaped nuts, rather than round ones, are mostly traded. After baking the soft areca nuts with heat, they are exported to China. Areca nut is one of the core components in betel chewing practice locally, along with other ingredients like betel leaves, slaked lime and tobacco. — NN/KK

The Sanitary and Phytosanitary Protocol (SPS Protocol) workshop was held at the end of July at the Mingala Hall of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI).
The SPS protocol is a must for legitimate rice export to China. The SPS Protocol measures include all relevant laws, decrees, regulations, requirements and procedures.
Officials of Agriculture Department and Consumer Affairs Department, representatives of Myanmar Inspection and Testing Services Limited, chair of Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) and rice exporting companies attended the workshop, emphasizing SPS Protocol procedures, registration with The General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, online registration process for legal rice export, and potential markets in Europe, Africa and Asia beyond China.
Representatives of the companies elaborated a purchasing plan, an export plan, repatriation of export revenues and registration on MyRO. Officials concerned coordinated the matters discussed by the companies. — NN/KK

In the first week of August, the fishing boats carrying various fish from the sea enter the Yangon jetties and the products are stored at the cold storage facilities for foreign export.
There are over 500 fishing boats in Yangon, and over 350 capture fish and prawns in the sea. The fishing boats sheltered for one week at the islands while the sea got rough during the stormy period. The fish and prawn captured from 28 July to date arrive at 10 jetties in Yangon.
“Currently, there are over 350 fishing boats from Yangon in the sea, and they return to normal condition. The fishing boats enter the jetty daily. The consumption of freshwater for the entry of saltwater products is a supportive action for the local marine product security. Then, it earns foreign income from the foreign export sector,” said U Tin Tun, staff officer of Yangon VMS Sub-Control Centre.
The saltwater products arriving in Yangon are entering cold storage facilities as foreign exports and are being sent to Shaw Padauk and Kyimyindine fish markets for local consumption.
“Due to the arrival of large offshore fishing vessels in the first week of this month, the supply of marine products has resumed as usual. Even today, vessels are continuing to arrive, and tomorrow, large fishing trawlers carrying various kinds of fish are expected to arrive. In addition to domestic consumption, some of the fish are for export, so they will be transported to cold storage factories and exported overseas. When marine products begin to enter the market, the prices of freshwater fish, which are currently high, usually decline. The entry of export-class products is beneficial both to the country by earning foreign income and to business owners,” said Daw Tin Nwe, entrepreneur at Kyimyindine MNG jetty. — Thitsa (MNA)/KTZH

In southern Turkiye, sunflower harvest season has begun in Kahramanmaraş. Farmers across four major districts are working through 60,000 decares of land, with an expected yield of around 40,000 tonnes.

Favorable weather conditions have boosted production, and growers say the strong harvest is bringing both economic relief and national benefit. The sunflowers are collected using combine harvesters, dried in open fields, and then sent to factories for processing to produce sunflower oil before hitting supermarket shelves across the country.

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Pakistan and Iran formally agreed to promote bilateral cooperation in trade, commerce, tourism and other fields, during a state visit by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to the residence of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Sunday. President Pezeshkian said the two countries can and will endeavour to increase their "current trade volume from $3 billion to the projected $10 billion".

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Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Friday said they proudly congratulate the Bangladesh tariff negotiators on securing a landmark trade deal with the United States, a decisive diplomatic victory. 

"The future of Bangladesh is undeniably bright. Today’s success stands as a powerful testament to the nation’s resilience and its bold vision for a stronger economic tomorrow," Yunus said in a message after successful tariff negotiations with the United States.

By reducing the tariff to 20%, 17 points lower than anticipated, he said their negotiators have demonstrated remarkable strategic skill and unwavering commitment to safeguarding and advancing Bangladesh’s economic interests.

Yunus said they have been working relentlessly since February and navigated successfully through a complex negotiating process involving tariff, non-tariff and national security matters. 

"The agreement they negotiated preserves our comparative advantage, enhances our access to the world's largest consumer market and safeguards our core national interests," he said in his message shared by Deputy Press Secretary Azad Majumder.

This achievement not only underscores Bangladesh’s rising strength on the global stage but also opens the door to greater opportunities, accelerated growth and lasting prosperity, Yunus said. 

Ref: dakatribune

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha is expected to visit Japan starting Sunday for talks with his Japanese counterpart and other senior officials.

The sources say Sybiha will accompany a Ukrainian delegation to the Ukrainian National Day event to be held at the World Expo in Osaka on Tuesday. The delegation includes First Lady Olena Zelenska and the deputy prime minister. Ukraine's decision to send its foreign minister is apparently aimed at highlighting the importance of relations between the two countries.

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Japan's Nintendo said Friday that around 5.8 million Switch 2 consoles were sold in June, the first month of the gaming gadget's hotly anticipated release. The Switch 2 launched globally on June 5 and sold 3.5 million units in its first four days, Nintendo said previously -- making it the fastest-selling video game console of all time.

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In Turkiye, productivity in the industrial sector is getting a major upgrade through the expansion of Model Factory projects. These centres, aimed primarily at small and medium-sized enterprises, offer a four-stage programme to help businesses improve production quality and become more competitive. The programme is already helping firms boost efficiency, paving the way for stronger digital and green transformation in Turkiye’s manufacturing sector.

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Cambodia on Friday welcomed a 19 percent trade tariff announced by US President Donald Trump, avoiding a threatened levy of 36 percent days after he intervened to help broker a ceasefire in their border conflict.

Cambodia said it would drop all tariffs on imports from the United States and order up to 20 Boeing 737s for its national airline in a further effort to woo the Trump administration.  "This is the best news for the people and economy of Cambodia to continue to develop the country," Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated on his social media.

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