How Is the Value Chain of Burmese Watermelon?

According to a Bangkok Research Center (BRC) - Institute of Developing Economies (IDE) research paper, there are two export routes for Myanmar watermelon: sea route and border trade.

• Sea route: Exporters buy and collect watermelon from farmers directly, exporters handle packing, weighing, internal carriage, shipping, and other certifications.
• Border trade: Mainly export to China. The supply chain consists of: growers, Myanmar border intermediaries, and Chinese buyers. The intermediaries hold auctions where Chinese buyers attend, and then negotiate with the buyers and handle the logistics and compliance requirements for international trade. The Ruili port in Yunnan province has become the largest land port for Myanmar watermelon entering China. In Ruili, there are two specialized "imported fruit state inspection and control zones" that covering more than 400 mu (65.9 acre) with an annual capacity of 2 million tons. There, a fruit-industry park has formed that contains multiple industrial elements such as logistics, packaging, and trading. The annual output here exceeds 1.5 billion Yuan (USD 226.1 million). In the specialized areas, inspection time for each batch of fruits has shortened from 1-2 days to 2-3 hours.