A Southeast Asian country surrounded by India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos and China, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar bought US$17.4 billion worth of imported products from global markets in 2022.

That dollar amount reflects a -10.1% decline compared to $19.4 billion five years earlier in 2018.

Year over year, the value of total imports into Myanmar accelerated by 21.5% compared to $14.3 billion during 2021.

Major Suppliers of Myanmar’s Imported Products

The latest available country-specific data shows that 93.1% of products imported into Myanmar were furnished by exporters in: mainland China (32.1% of the Burmese total), Singapore (24.8%), Thailand (12.4%), Malaysia (6.6%), Indonesia (6%), India (3.2%), Vietnam (2.3%), Japan (1.59%), South Korea (1.57%), United Arab Emirates (1.04%), United States of America (0.98%) and Taiwan (0.6%).

From a continental perspective, 94.4% of Myanmar’s imports by total cost were purchased from fellow Asian countries. Trade partners in Europe supplied 2.6% of imports purchased by Myanmar while another 1.1% worth of goods originated from North America.

Tinier percentages came from exporters in Latin America (1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Oceania (0.8%) led by Australia and New Zealand, then Africa (0.2%).

Given Myanmar’s population of 53.9 million people, its total $17.4 billion in 2022 imports translates to roughly $320 in yearly product demand from every person living in the Southeast Asian nation also known as Burma. That dollar amount exceeds the average $270 per capita one year earlier during 2021.

Myanmar’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Myanmar’s import purchases during 2022. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Myanmar.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$5.2 billion (30% of total imports)
2. Machinery including computers: $901.5 million (5.2%)
3. Manmade staple fibers: $789.3 million (4.5%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: $761.1 million (4.4%)
5. Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $717.8 million (4.1%)
6. Plastics, plastic articles: $690.6 million (4%)
7. Iron, steel: $665.7 million (3.8%)
8. Pharmaceuticals: $604 million (3.5%)
9. Fertilizers: $586.8 million (3.4%)
10. Manmade filaments: $522.3 million (3%)

Myanmar’s top 10 imports categories generated almost two-thirds (65.8%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

Imported manmade filaments posted the fastest-growing increase in cost among Myanmar’s top 10 import categories via a 194.4% uptick from 2021 to 2022.

In second place for improving Burmese import purchases were products under the mineral fuels including oil category which expanded by 79.8%.

Fertilizers imported into Myanmar grew by 50.9% from 2021.

Leading the year-over-year declines were Myanmar’s imports of machinery including computers (down -25.5%) and animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes (down -21.9%).

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. Information presented below delves into the more granular 4-digit HTS codes.

From the more detailed codes perspective, Myanmar’s top 5 most valuable imported products are refined petroleum oils, palm oil, woven fabrics including synthetic staple fibers, synthetic yarn fabrics, then light vessels, fireboats plus floating docks. That cohort of 5 main imports represent over four-fifths (41.1%) of Myanmar’s overall spending on imported products in 2022.

Myanmar’s Main Imported Fuels

In 2022, Burmese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related goods.

1. Processed petroleum oils: US$5 billion (up 88.6% from 2021)
2. Petroleum gases: $69.8 million (down -56.4%)
3. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $44 million (up 47.2%)
4. Petroleum oil residues: $26.8 million (up 55.4%)
5. Electrical energy: $23.6 million (up 70.4%)
6. Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $21.9 million (up 24.9%)
7. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $7.1 million (up 6754.4%)
8. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $2.2 million (up 174.8%)
9. Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $276,000 (up 1.5%)
10. Coke, semi-coke: $195,000 (up 1850%)

Among these import subcategories, Burmese purchases of coal including solid fuels made from coal (up 6,754%), coke or semi-coke (up 1,850%) then high temperature-distilled coal tar oils (up 174.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported mineral fuels including oil among businesses and consumers in Myanmar.

Myanmar’s Main Imported Machinery

In 2022, Burmese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery.

1. Machinery parts: US$135.1 million (up 121.6% from 2021)
2. Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $128.3 million (down -17.8%)
3. Computers, optical readers: $40.2 million (down -19%)
4. Air conditioners: $39.2 million (up 3.3%)
5. Liquid pumps and elevators: $31.5 million (down -23.9%)
6. Derricks, cranes: $31.3 million (up 520.1%)
7. Turbo-jets: $29.5 million (up 542.9%)
8. Refrigerators, freezers: $29.1 million (down -58.4%)
9. Engines (diesel): $26.2 million (down -37.9%)
10. Air or vacuum pumps: $25.4 million (up 6.8%)

Among these import subcategories, Burmese purchases of turbo-jets (up 542.9%), derricks and cranes (up 520.1%) then machinery parts (up 121.6%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery including computers among businesses and consumers in Myanmar.

Myanmar’s Main Imported Electrical Products

In 2022, Burmese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electrical items including consumer electronics.

1. Electrical converters/power units: US$115.2 million (up 140.4% from 2021)
2. Insulated wire/cable: $92.8 million (up 18.2%)
3. Phone system devices: $88.5 million (down -58.8%)
4. Electric storage batteries: $78.6 million (up 46.1%)
5. Electric generating sets, converters: $74.1 million (up 208.9%)
6. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $56.1 million (up 182%)
7. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $33.6 million (up 38.4%)
8. High-voltage switches, fuses: $32.4 million (down -10.7%)
9. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $27.9 million (up 32.2%)
10. Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $21.5 million (up 11.5%)

Among these import subcategories, Burmese purchases of electric generating sets or converters: (up 208.9%), solar power diodes and semi-conductors (up 182%) then electrical converters and power units (up 140.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage changes within parenthesis suggest where the strongest demand remains for different types of imported electronics among businesses and consumers in Myanmar.

Myanmar’s Main Imported Animal or Vegetable Fats, Oils

In 2022, Burmese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of animal or vegetable fats and oils.

Myanmar’s importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of animal or vegetable fats and oils during 2022.

1. Palm oil: US$683.3 million (down -21.4% from 2021)
2. Sun/safflower/cotton-seed oil: $16.6 million (down -33.8%)
3. Margarine: $9.9 million (down -2.7%)
4. Animal/vegetable hydrogenated fats, oils: $4.7 million (down -23.1%)
5. Coconut/palm/babassu oil: $2 million (down -63.6%)
6. Fixed vegetable fats/oils: $378,000 (up 78.3%)
7. Vegetable/bees/insect waxes: $315,000 (up 556.3%)
8. Soya-bean oil: $273,000 (down -81.5%)
9. Fish/marine mammal fats and oils: $115,000 (down -36.8%)
10. Olive oil: $80,000 (down -84.1%)

Among these import subcategories, Burmese purchases of vegetable, bees or insect waxes (up 556.3%) and fixed vegetable fats and oils (up 78.3%) grew from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported animal or vegetable fats and oils among businesses and consumers in Myanmar.
 

See also Myanmar’s Top 10 Exports, Thailand’s Top Trading Partners, Japan’s Top Trading Partners, India’s Top Trading Partners, Malaysia’s Top Trading Partners and Poland’s Top Trading Partners

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook East Asia/Southeast Asia: Burma. Accessed on June 26, 2023

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on June 26, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 26, 2023

Wikipedia, Myanmar. Accessed on June 26, 2023