The cattle marketing and trade systems in Myanmar are presented in Figure 3.
Figure 4: Dimensions of cattle and beef marketing Myanmar
The cattle marketing and trade systems in Myanmar are presented in Figure 3.
Figure 4: Dimensions of cattle and beef marketing Myanmar
The major flows of the cattle are (i) between farmers, (ii) from rural areas to urban centres for slaughter (Yangon and Mandalay are being the major markets), and (iii) through market systems to the informal cross-border trade. The farmers sell their cattle when the cattle are no longer productive or when they need cash. They may: (1) sell the cattle directly to other farmers, (2) sell to collectors at the farm gate, (3) let dealers sell them at live markets and pay the dealers a commission or (4) take them to sell at live markets by themselves. Farmers sell their cattle at the beginning and end of the cultivation each year.
A feature of the cattle and buffalo marketing in Myanmar are various licenses. There are two types of licenses. Firstly, licenses which give individuals the sole rights to buy and slaughter cattle within an individual township. These are issued on an annual basis after a bidding system. The person who is awarded the license is commonly referred to as a “licensee”. Secondly, licenses to manage municipal livestock markets. These are also issued on an annual basis after a bidding process. The person who is awarded the license is commonly referred to as a “market licensee”.
Livestock markets are a striking feature of the Myanmar livestock trading system. There are total of 49 markets registered with LBVD. The livestock markets are mainly distributed along the major transport routes throughout Myanmar (Figure 5). The majority of cattle are sold through markets. According to the LBVD data, a total of 262,800 animals go through these markets each year. Market day is set for each market, and of the 49 markets, 28 are held every five days, and 21 are held every seven days (Table 4).
Figure 5: Distribution of livestock markets in Myanmar (Source: LBVD, 2014)
Table 3: Region/State with live animal markets, and volume of live animals
Source: LBVD (2014)
Each of the markets operates in a similar manner. Farmers or traders take animals to markets on foot or on vehicles. Upon entering the market, they register the animals and pay a small amount of fee per head to the licensee. An additional fee is paid to market licensee if the animals are sold. Inside the market, deals are made between sellers, traders and buyers. Condition and weight of the cattle are assessed on a visual basis. Informal trading may take place nearby some market to avoid market fees. Buyers should receive a health certificate from the LBVD.