Persistently high inflation in rural Bangladesh has led to significant shifts in food consumption patterns, with the poorest households increasingly relying on rice while reducing their intake of protein-rich foods, according to a Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) survey. Conducted across 64 districts, the study highlights a rise in daily per capita rice consumption from 349g in 2022 to 412g in 2023. Meanwhile, consumption of beef, mutton, and certain fish varieties has dropped drastically, particularly among poorer households. Inflation-driven price hikes have been steepest for protein-rich items like mutton (up 11%), beef (6%), fish (27%), and staples like eggs (24–27%) and vegetables (20–33%). The poorest have shifted towards more affordable options, such as pangasius fish, while wealthier groups maintain higher consumption of beef, chicken, and eggs. The findings underscore the severe impact of food inflation on nutrition disparities, with the rural poor bearing the brunt of rising costs.
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