"China is now Myanmar’s largest export market. Already, trading of melons has come to a standstill and prices have halved, said U Naing Win, chair of the Myanmar Watermelon and Muskmelon Producers and Exporters Association. As such, preparations are being made for Myanmar to send more goods to other markets to avoid any volatility in demand from China. “As the market has just reopened after the Chinese New Year break, we can’t tell the exact extent of the impact the Wuhan virus has on the export market yet. But we are working on seeking new border markets to export our goods in the event that the spread of the virus continues,” U Aung Htoo, Deputy Minister for Commerce, said in a press briefing on the drafting of the National Export Strategy 2020-2025 on January 31. Plans have also been made to export more goods via air and maritime routes to offset slower trade at the border. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, China has stopped importing melons from Myanmar and stockpiles of fruit are being held in Yunnan province. Around 80 percent of total border trade takes place at the Muse trade gate on the Myanmar-China border..."