The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has raised Bangladesh’s wheat import forecast by 7.4 per cent to 72 lakh tonnes for the 2025-26 trade year ending in June, citing higher demand for food, seed and industrial use.
The earlier projection was 67 lakh tonnes.
Bangladesh produces about 10 lakh tonnes of wheat annually, meeting roughly 13 per cent of estimated yearly consumption of 77 lakh tonnes.
In its latest Grain: World Markets and Trade report released last week, the USDA said global wheat trade expanded on higher imports by the European Union, Indonesia, Vietnam and Bangladesh, offsetting lower imports by Mexico.
Wheat consumption is rising as international prices fall and domestic rice prices remain elevated, said Meghna Group of Industries Deputy General Manager Taslim Shahriar.
“Wheat prices have fallen in the international market, while rice prices remain high in the domestic market. As a result, wheat consumption is increasing,” Shahriar said.
Global wheat prices have declined over the past two years.
US hard red wheat fell 42 per cent to $219.6 per tonne in 2025 from $340.4 two years earlier, according to World Bank commodity price data.
Shahriar said prices could decline further after India eased export restrictions.
On Friday, India permitted exports of 25 lakh tonnes of wheat and an additional 500,000 tonnes each of wheat products and sugar, Reuters reported.
Last month, the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU) under the food ministry projected wheat imports could reach 72 lakh tonnes in fiscal year 2025-26 in its quarterly Food Situation Report.
In the first half of the current fiscal year, the private sector imported 32.5 lakh tonnes of wheat, up 31 per cent from a year earlier, while public sector imports declined.
TK Group of Industries Business Director Md Shafiul Ather Taslim said import volumes rose sharply in December as traders anticipated stability after the 12 February general election and stronger demand for wheat-based food.
Annual wheat imports typically range between 65 lakh tonnes and 70 lakh tonnes and are likely to remain within that band this year, he added.
Bangladesh imported 61.44 lakh tonnes of wheat in fiscal year 2024-25, including private sector purchases, according to the FPMU report.
