Bangladesh sees record food grains production

Bangladesh witnessed production of a record 64.3 million tonnes of food grains, including rice, maize and wheat, in 2023. The food production is estimated to rise further between last April and this June despite various natural calamities.

The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) revealed this data in a report released from its headquarters in Rome, Italy on 5 June.

The report also highlighted a crisis in food in the country and a drop in the import of required amounts of food. Overall, the number of people experiencing food insecurity rose by 900,000.

According to the FAO report, of the 64.3 million tonnes of food grain production, rice was 58.6 million tonnes, maize 4.7 million tonnes and wheat was 101 million tonnes. Food grain production increased to 63.13 million tonnes in the 2022-23 marketing year from 60.92 million tonnes in 2018.

The report said, “Localised crop losses were caused by pockets of dryness and heatwaves in April in parts of the country, while hail, strong winds and localised flash floods, brought by the passage of Cyclone Remal, affected crops, particularly in Khulna Division.

“Harvesting of the 2024 boro paddy crop, which is mostly irrigated and accounts for about 55 per cent of the annual output, finalised at the end of May and production prospects are favourable,” it read.

Planting of the 2024 aman paddy crop, accounting for about 35 per cent of the annual output, started in late May. Planting of the 2024 aus paddy crop, accounting for about 10 per cent of the annual output is ongoing, supported by favourable soil moisture conditions and harvesting will start in late June 2024.

Harvesting of the 2024 winter maize crop, accounting for about 85 per cent of the annual output, finalised in April and production is estimated at a record level, mostly reflecting large sowings driven by high prices at planting time. Favourable weather conditions and the widespread use of high-yielding seed varieties resulted in above-average yields, the FAO predicted.

The 2024 summer maize crop, accounting for about 15 per cent of the annual output, is currently at flowering and grain-filling stages, and crop conditions are generally favourable. Production of the 2024 wheat crop, harvested in April, is estimated at an average level of 1.1 million tonnes, according to the FAO report.

Imports of food grains consist mostly of wheat plus some minor quantities of rice and maize. According to the FAO report, Bangladesh set a target to import 7.1 million tonnes of food grains in the 2023-24 marketing year, and that was below the average level for the second consecutive year.

“This is mainly due to the country’s low import capacity, caused by dwindling foreign currency reserves and the significant depreciation of the taka from May 2022 to July 2023,” the FAO said.

Yet, the food ministry set a target to import 400,000 tonnes of rice in calendar 2024.

Food secretary Md Ismail Hossain told Prothom Alo said that prices of rice and wheat have increased slightly, but farmers are getting fair prices from this additional price, resulting in a rise in production. Besides, no crisis of rice arose in the country despite the low imports.

However, the record food grains harvests in 2022, 2023 and half of 2024 have improved food availability in the country.

About 16.5 million people face high levels of acute food insecurity from April to October 2024, up from the 14.6 million estimated in the February to March 2024 period, the FAO report said citing the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis.

Recently, the FAO released a list of 45 countries facing food insecurity and in need of foreign food assistance. Bangladesh has featured in the list.

Concerns about access to food remain due to persistent high food inflation that diminishes the purchasing power of vulnerable households.

“The food inflation has stayed at elevated levels since August 2022… driven by high costs of production and transport, reduced cereal imports (especially the key staple wheat) and the significant depreciation of the taka, which made imports costlier,” the FAO report said.

Besides, about 1 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar are residing in the country as of April 2024, but Bangladesh relies entirely on humanitarian aid to provide them with foods.

Regarding the overall issue, Bangladesh Agriculture University’s former vice chancellor and agricultural economist MA Sattar Mandal said Bangladesh is improving not only in cereal but also in other food production including vegetables, fish, chickens and eggs.

Since the food scenario of the country is appearing and global food prices are on the rise, Bangladesh has no alternative other than focusing on the increase of food production, he added.