The first consignment of US wheat, part of an agreement aimed at reducing the trade gap following the imposition of Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, is already en route and is expected to reach Chattogram Port by mid-October.
Officials say the first vessel, carryin 55,000 tonnes of wheat, departed from the Port of Corpus Christi in the United States at the end of August.
On 20 July, the Ministry of Food signed a wheat import agreement with US Wheat Associates. The deal stipulates the import of 220,000 tonnes of wheat at a price of $302.75 per tonne.
Md Moniruzzaman, director of the Directorate General of Food’s Procurement Division, confirmed the development to TIMES of Bangladesh.
Ali Akbar, CEO of Seven Seas Shipping Lines, the local agent handling the government’s wheat imports, said four mother vessels are scheduled to transport the shipments this year.
“The first consignment is already en route and is expected to arrive by mid-October. The second shipment is expected by the last week of October, with the remaining two due in November,” he said.
Government sources reveal that Bangladesh’s wheat imports are largely influenced by high-level policy decisions. For years, Russia has been the primary source of wheat imports.
However, recent tariff and trade issues have prompted Dhaka to shift its focus, prioritising wheat imports from the United States.
On 2 April, US President Donald Trump announced higher tariffs on several countries, citing trade deficit concerns. At that time, Bangladesh was subject to a 37% tariff. Later, it was reduced to 20% after a series of talks.
Demands for wheat in Bangladesh
The Directorate General of Food imports around 800,000 tonnes of wheat annually for its ration and Open Market Sale (OMS) programmes.
In 2024, the country imported around 950,000 tonnes, with a target of 800,000 tonnes set for 2025. In addition to the US, wheat imports this year are also coming from Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Argentina.
Bangladesh’s annual wheat demand is between 7 to 7.5 million tonnes, while domestic production hovers just above 1 million tonnes. This means nearly 90% of the country’s wheat requirement must be met through imports.
Key import sources include Russia, Canada, Ukraine, and Romania. As the Russia-Ukraine conflict stabilises, imports from the Black Sea region are gradually increasing again.
According to the National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh imported around 7.275 million tonnes of wheat worth $2.11 billion in 2024, up from 5.417 million tonnes valued at $1.81 billion in 2023. This represents a 34% increase in volume and an additional $300 million in costs.
In previous years, imports were 7.133 million tonnes worth $1.8 billion in 2020, 6.8 million tonnes worth $2.12 billion in 2021, and 4.9 million tonnes worth $1.87 billion in 2022.
Both the public and private sectors are involved in wheat imports. The Directorate General of Food manages official imports, while major private importers include City Group, Meghna Group, Nabil Group, Bashundhara Group, and Sheikh Brothers. City, Meghna, and Bashundhara also process wheat into packaged flour for the retail market.
Industry insiders point to a rising number of diabetic patients, many of whom substitute roti for rice, as a key factor driving increased wheat consumption.
Additionally, growing demand for wheat-based products such as noodles, biscuits, bread, chanachur, dry foods, and frozen items – much of which is destined for export – has further fuelled imports.
According to NBR, Bangladesh exports wheat-based food products to 93 countries, earning approximately $200 million annually.
