Border Closure Forces Cattle Traders into Smuggling Amid Economic Hardship

Pajau Media

March 11, 2025

The prolonged closure of border gates and the suspension of official cattle sales for over three months have pushed cattle traders in Kachin State—particularly in Bhamo District, Manwin Gyi, Mansi, and Inba Par regions—into severe economic distress, with many resorting to illegal trade routes.

A resident of Mansi explained the dire situation, stating, “Previously, traders from Momauk and Mansi would bring cattle to Inba Par, where Chinese buyers purchased them. Now, with the border closed, these traders have been forced out of business, and even small-scale brokers have disappeared.”

Since October last year, border trade between Kachin State and China has been restricted, and by December, all transactions had come to a complete halt. Although 10 to 15 cattle still arrive in the region weekly, they are mostly sold to slaughterhouses along the border, with some continuing to be smuggled through illegal detours.

Many traders, who purchased cattle in December, are now struggling to sell them, leaving them in financial ruin with significant debt. Previously, under better political conditions, the cattle trade was a primary source of livelihood for people in the Bhamo region. However, business has steadily declined since the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the border gates shut since December, it has now come to a complete standstill.

At its peak, the cattle trade in the Inba Par region saw thousands—at the very least, hundreds—of cattle being sold daily. Now, with legal trade suspended indefinitely, traders are left with few options but to navigate illegal channels in a desperate bid to survive.

News - Zaw Mai