The retail price of edible palm oil across Yangon Region has surged on a near-daily basis following a sharp price hike in mid-October, driven by regime restrictions on foreign imports and severe cuts to regional distribution quotas.
Prices jumped from a range of 16,000–25,000 MMK ($3.45–5.39 USD) per viss (1.6 kg) in mid-October to open market rates between 15,000 and 25,000 MMK depending on quality.
Residents in Yangon’s South Dagon Township noted that market prices stood at 12,000 MMK per viss just last month, marking multiple price increases in October alone.
While the Myanmar Edible Oil Dealers’ Association (MEODA) continues to distribute subsidized palm oil at 8,000 MMK ($1.70 USD) per viss (up to one viss weekly per household via Household Registration Forms), severe supply limits have forced most consumers into the open market.
Market researchers attribute the surge directly to Naypyidaw’s mandate cutting national palm oil imports by over 30 per cent, which subsequently led regime authorities to reduce Yangon Region’s palm oil quota by 50 per cent.
Compounded by ongoing foreign exchange volatility and import licensing hurdles, total nationwide imports—historically averaging 800,000 to 1,000,000 tonnes annually—have been restricted to around 600,000 tonnes in 2026.
Because palm oil accounts for 40-50 per cent of total edible oil consumption among Myanmar’s 54 million residents for cooking and food manufacturing, the import squeeze is generating critical household inflation across the country.
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