26.13% of Agricultural Households Face Food Insecurity

A recent Bangladesh Bank study reveals that farmers are the primary risk-takers in the agricultural value chain, especially for essential items like rice, potatoes, onions, eggs, and broiler chicken. Conducted across 14 districts, the study attributes price increases mainly to supply shortfalls caused by seasonal factors, reduced cultivation areas, floods, and pest attacks. Unlike intermediaries who secure fixed margins, farmers face fluctuating profits or losses depending on market conditions.

In FY2023–24, Bangladesh produced 68.84 lakh tonnes of maize from 6.42 lakh hectares, with FY2024–25 targets set at 71.60 lakh tonnes from 6.51 lakh hectares. Despite high yields of 35–45 maunds per bigha (1 maund ≈ 37 kg), farmers in districts like Lalmonirhat and Rangpur face falling prices—now Tk 28–29 per kg, down by Tk 2–3 from last year—while production costs rose to Tk 11–13 per kg or Tk 14,000–16,000 per bigha.

Bangladesh's tea exports jumped 57.55% in 2024, reaching 2.45 million kilograms and generating Tk45.96 crore in revenue. This marks a strong recovery from previous years when export volumes had dropped below 1 million kgs.

Bangladesh has launched its first-ever “Soy Month” to promote awareness of soybean’s nutritional and economic value, in collaboration with the US Soybean Export Council (USSEC). The initiative, inaugurated at BPICC headquarters, highlights soybean's role in food security, livestock development, and as a key protein source.

Despite persistent high inflation exceeding 9%, Bangladesh’s public food distribution under social protection schemes dropped by over 7% year-on-year in the first three quarters of FY2024-25, mainly due to political instability and disruptions in local governance. This reduction—from 25.34 lakh tonnes last year to 23.46 lakh tonnes—comes as rising prices continue to strain the poor.

Rice prices in Bangladesh have been rising despite a global decline. The FAO All Rice Price Index dropped by 1.7% in March 2025, down nearly 25% over the past year, reaching a three-year low. However, in Bangladesh, rice prices increased from July-August 2024, peaking just before Eid-ul-Fitr.