The Military Council’s Foreign Exchange Supervisory Committee has temporarily restricted the import of 35 types of essential foodstuffs and consumer goods through border trade, according to sources from trade associations.
On August 12th, an official notice from the Foreign Exchange Supervisory Committee announced the suspension of import permits for basic goods via the Thai–Myanmar and China–Myanmar borders. The announcement was circulated widely on traders’ social media pages.
Although such temporary restrictions have been imposed from time to time in the past, businesspeople in Mon State said this round could last longer, creating hardships for traders, border merchants, and ordinary consumers.
“There’s no longer a free market. Domestic production is insufficient, and demand exceeds supply. If the ban continues, there will be shortages, and the economy will suffer,” said a wholesale businessperson.
Traders also warned that the restrictions could encourage more illegal smuggling routes and drive up the prices of basic commodities.
The restricted items include flip-flops, candles, mobile phones, batteries, light bulbs, matches, adult diapers, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, tires, cement, and chalk.
“Prices will go up. Traders will face difficulties, and factories will run out of raw materials. The main restrictions apply to imports from Thailand and China,” the businessperson added.
Additionally, common food products such as instant noodles, vermicelli, pickles, biscuits, chicken sausage, ready-to-drink milk, yogurt, bird’s nest, fruits, and coconut milk are also restricted.
The official statement said some of the temporarily restricted goods may still be imported through maritime routes, but only in sizes and raw material forms that are not domestically produced.
In recent weeks, the junta also introduced an online monitoring system to control the distribution of imported edible oil.
It is also reported that the Foreign Exchange Supervisory Committee is among the 194 committees and commissions that the junta officially dissolved on August 1.
