IFAD Inaugurates Bangladesh Office

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.

National AgriCare (NAC), a leading Bangladeshi agrochemical and seed company, plans to invest Tk400 crore across agro, pharmaceuticals, seeds, food, and pesticides by 2027, creating 2,000 new jobs. Tk180 crore will go to its pharmaceutical division, One Pharma, which aims to expand medicine exports to 10 new countries, including Algeria.

The cost of DWASA’s 'Dhaka Environmentally Sustainable Water Supply Project' has surged by Tk 28.28 billion in its third revision, raising the total estimated budget to Tk 109.75 billion—126.38% higher than the original Tk 48.48 billion approved in 2013. Despite an 11-year delay and 87% physical progress, the project remains incomplete.

After interest rates were liberalized in May 2024, agricultural loan rates surged to 15–18%, up from a previous cap of 8%, resulting in a notable decline in disbursements. In the first eight months of the current fiscal year, banks disbursed Tk 22,126 crore in agricultural loans, which is Tk 1,565 crore or 6.60% less than the same period last year.