Wheat cultivation in Bangladesh fell to a record low in FY2024-25, with acreage declining 8% year-on-year to 2.87 lakh hectares, down from 3.11 lakh hectares in FY24. This marks a continued decline since FY16 when wheat covered 4.44 lakh hectares. Farmers are shifting to high-value crops like maize and potatoes due to higher profitability. Maize acreage increased 4% to 5.66 lakh hectares, while potato cultivation surged 14% to 5.24 lakh hectares, the highest on record. Wheat yields average 40–45 maunds per acre, compared to 120–150 maunds for maize. Farmers earn Tk 36,000 per acre from maize, while wheat brings only Tk 20,000. Bangladesh produced 11.72 lakh tonnes of wheat in FY24, meeting just 15% of total demand, with the rest imported. The USDA attributes declining wheat production to limited improved seed varieties, disease outbreaks, and competition from more profitable crops. Rajshahi, Jashore, and Kushtia have seen increased wheat cultivation, unlike Thakurgaon and Dinajpur.
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