BURMA: GEM AND JADE EXPORTS INCREASE IN 2008;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 RANGOON 000333 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, INR/EAP, EEB/TFS, INR/EAP, OES BANGKOK FOR REO OFFICE PACOM FOR FPA TREASURY FOR OASIA, OFAC E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2019 TAGS: ECON SENV PREL PGOV ETRD PINR BM SUBJECT: BURMA: GEM AND JADE EXPORTS INCREASE IN 2008; DECLINES EXPECTED IN 2009 REF: A. 08 RANGOON 060 ¶B. 08 RANGOON 061 ¶C. 08 RANGOON 750 ¶D. CHIANG MAI 70 RANGOON 00000333 001.2 OF 004 Classified By: Economic Officer Samantha A. Carl-Yoder for Reasons 1.4 (b and d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) The total value of Burmese jade and gem exports in 2008 increased by 30 percent over the previous year, with jade sales accounting for 98 percent of the total. Trade analysts predict 2009 exports will drop due to the continuing world economic crisis and declining demand. In 2008 the majority of Burma's high-quality jade and gems were sold at state-run auctions, although gem dealers hint that persons connected to the regime smuggle out the best stones. Additionally, many medium and lower quality stones are sent to China and Thailand through illegal border trade or are sold in local markets. State-owned Myanmar Gems Enterprise accounted for 95 percent of 2008 jade and gem exports, funneling profits directly into regime coffers. End Summary. Regime Controls Jade and Gems -------------- ¶2. (C) The regime strictly controls Burma's jade and gem sector. State-owned enterprises including Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd. (MEHL) and Myanmar Gems Enterprise control the production of Burma's gem and jade mines and the sale of any extracted products. According to Burmese Law, private Burmese companies interested in the extraction of jade or gems must form joint ventures with MEHL to receive mining permits from the Ministry of Mines. Foreign companies are not allowed to mine gems or jade in Burma. According to Nay Min Han, General Manager of MK Gems (a leading private gem dealer),joint venture agreements require private companies to sell high-quality gemstones through MEHL at the government's annual emporiums. However, MEHL permits firms to sell and export lower-quality stones through private sales. In comparison, GOB regulations mandate that all jade mined in Burma must be sold at MEHL auctions. Going Once, Going Twice... -------------- ¶3. (C) MEHL holds jade and gem emporiums four or five times a year, depending on available stocks. The GOB identifies and invites local and foreign companies and individuals to participate in the week-long emporiums. Prices are set in euros, and companies must pay a registration fee of 10,000 euros in order to bid on available lots through silent auction (Refs A and B). In 2008 MEHL held four auctions, in March, July, October, and December. According to Zaw Win Naing, General Manager of privately-owned Kambawza Bank (which owns several jade and gem mines),the majority of companies participating in the 2008 emporiums were from China, Hong Kong, and Thailand. While the GOB did not release official sales figures from these emporiums, Zaw Win Naing estimated that the regime earned more than USD 700 million. RANGOON 00000333 002.2 OF 004 High Demand in 2008 -------------- ¶4. (C) According to Burmese private consulting firm Business Investment Group (BIG),2008 was a record year for Burmese exports of jade and gemstones. Burmese state-owned enterprises and private companies officially exported over USD 731 million in jade and gems, a 30 percent increase over 2007 levels. Jade sales accounted for 98 percent of exports, with the 33.6 increase in jade exports in 2008 offsetting the 46.1 decline in gemstones (see chart below). Myanmar Gems Enterprise, a company under the jurisdiction of MEHL, exported approximately 95 percent of Burma's jade and gems in 2008, worth approximately USD 694 million. Other state-owned enterprises, including Myanmar Ruby Enterprise, Myanmar Pearl Enterprise, and Myanmar Jade Enterprise, as well as several private companies, accounted for the rest of 2008 exports. -------------- -------------- Burma's Jade and Gem Exports 2005-2009* In Millions US Dollars -------------- -------------- Product 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009* -------------- -------------- Gems 28.8 30.3 26.5 14.3 4.2 Jade 167.8 375.8 535.1 714.8 191.1 -------------- -------------- Total 196.6 406.1 561.6 731.9 195.3 -------------- -------------- Source: Business Investment Group, May 2009 *Through March 2009 ¶5. (C) While the GOB does not include border trade figures (illegal or legal) in its official statistics, BIG trade analysts estimate that in 2008 approximately USD 15 million worth of gems were smuggled out of Burma, either to China or Thailand. Nay Min Han estimated that the value could be even higher, and intimated that as more military officials (and their spouses) and regime cronies become involved in gem mining and trade, smuggling of high-quality stones will increase. (Note: this corroborates what a Burmese gem dealer told the GAO team in Chiang Mai in May -- Ref D.) Zaw Win Naing told us that jade is not sold via border trade, as jade pieces, unlike rough gems, are often too large and conspicuous to smuggle across the border. ¶6. (C) According to BIG, a substantial majority of Burma's jade and gem exports go to Asia. In 2008 Japan and Thailand imported approximately two-thirds of Burma's gemstones. BIG trade analysts stated that, unlike in previous years, there is no official record of official sales of gems to China or the United States. They indicated that gems may have been exported to China via unofficial border trade. According to Nay Min Han, the substantial drop in gem exports was due to decreasing demand for Burmese stones worldwide. He opined that while the price of gems has increased during the past few years, the quality of Burmese gems has decreased, accounting for lower demand. -------------- -------------- RANGOON 00000333 003.2 OF 004 Destination of Burmese Gem Exports 2006-2008 In Millions US Dollars -------------- -------------- Destination 2006 2007 2008 -------------- -------------- Japan 8,728,056 11,401,587 7,643,496 Thailand 13,769,775 8,595,049 3,734,373 Hong Kong 3,697,046 3,903,062 2,633,385 Australia 899,712 363,841 262,385 Singapore 58,116 77,547 39,222 Indonesia 35,864 208,689 27,842 Russia 152 13,494 20,041 Canada 98,828 -- 30 China 7,680 1,024,522 -- USA 2,640,120 353,233 -- Germany 227,446 125,195 -- India 57,224 37,298 -- Other 84,033 427,843 -- -------------- -------------- Total 28,815,465 26,531,323 14,360,458 -------------- -------------- Source: Business Investment Group, May 2009 ¶7. (C) The regime earns the most revenue from jade; more than 95 percent is exported to Hong Kong and China each year. Hong Kong imports of Burmese jade increased by 31.6 percent while China's imports of Burmese jade increased by 32.2 percent in 2008. The Myanmar Gems Enterprise also exported jade to Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia, as demand in these three countries increased substantially in recent years. -------------- -------------- Destination of Burmese Jade Imports, 2006-2008 In Millions of US Dollars -------------- -------------- Destination 2006 2007 2008 -------------- -------------- Hong Kong 371,329,791 523,089,437 688,215,116 China 1,974,866 8,823,738 11,663,157 Thailand 184,763 381,256 6,295,212 UK 363 -- 4,418,215 Singapore 818,399 2,776,237 2,232,064 Malaysia 4,607 -- 1,669,541 Japan 142,792 20,337 303,483 South Korea 4,696 9,384 -- UAE 1,314,729 -- -- Other 49,988 5,824 931,651 -------------- -------------- Total 375,824,631 535,106,427 715,728,439 -------------- -------------- Source: Business Investment Group, May 2009 Sales Expected to Drop in 2009 -------------- ¶8. (C) BIG trade analysts predict that after record jade sales in 2008, total jade and gem exports in 2009 may fall due to lower worldwide demand and the continuing effects of the world financial crisis. Nay Min Han told us that the number of participants in the March 2009 auction was the same as last year, but the regime earned approximately 10 percent RANGOON 00000333 004.2 OF 004 less than in March 2008. He estimated March 2009 sales totaled approximately USD 200 million. MEHL will host the next auction from June 22-July 9 in Rangoon. According to Nay Min Han, the regime expects to sell at least 3,500 lots of jade and 1,000 lots of rough gems. Nay Min Han and other gem dealers expressed their doubts the regime would hit these targets, based on the March 2009 emporium results. DINGER