Bangladesh Grain Production Up

By Scott C. Lucas|22 February 2006

With a normal monsoon season this summer, Bangladesh’s rice production is likely to exceed 28 million tons from over 11 million planted hectares (Ha), according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service (USDA-FAS). High prices for rice are expected to support the increased plantings.

Early predictions already pointed to a 7% increase in 2005/06 over 2005/06’s flood damaged crop, and continued improvement is likely to trigger another increase if climatic conditions hold up. Thanks to strong prices, more land has been devoted to rice farming, and farmers have invested in higher-yielding varieties and hybrids. However, shortages of nutrients, diesel fuel, and electricity may create a ceiling for the otherwise very promising crop.

On the wheat front, production is forecast at 1.1 million tons from 600,000 Ha. High wheat prices are encouraging increased plantings, which in 2005/06 accounted for 570,000 Ha.

Consumption Rising
In addition to the boost in production, 2006/07 consumption is expected to reach 28.8 million tons due to the improving domestic production situation as well as the increasing population.

Consumption in 2005/06 is estimated to have been just under 30 million tons, up 3.7% from 2004/05, largely as a replacement for wheat, due to a lack of wheat supply and high prices.