Bangladesh’s corn production to hit record 6 mln tons

Bangladesh is set for a record maize harvest this year, thanks to a significant shift by farmers in the northern regions from traditional crops such as wheat and rice to maize. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the country achieved a record maize production of 4.87 million tonnes from 0.514 million hectares of land in the previous fiscal year (2023-2024), thanks to crops from both the winter and summer seasons. This year, the area under maize has increased to over 0.55 million hectares, continuing a decade-long upward trend, according to the Department of Agricultural Development (DAE).

Experts attribute the shift to growing demand from the poultry, livestock and food industries, making maize a highly profitable alternative for farmers. Price advantage and technological improvements are further contributing to this shift. The maize harvest season has just begun, and the Ministry of Agriculture has projected that this year’s production will reach a record 6.0 million tonnes. This volume almost fully meets the national demand for maize, underscoring its growing role in the country’s agriculture.

In Nilphamari district, according to the DAE, maize is being grown on 33,200 hectares this year, up from 28,000 hectares in the previous fiscal. At the same time, the area under wheat has declined significantly as many wheat fields have been converted to maize. Boro rice cultivation in Nilphamari has remained stable at around 81,000 hectares, but a significant portion of this land has also been converted to maize, which farmers consider a high-yielding crop. In Rangpur region, maize is grown on 0.127 million hectares, up 10,000 hectares from last year, while wheat cultivation has shrunk to 14,000 hectares, almost half of the previous year.

Nilphamari farmer and entrepreneur Imtiaz Kabir Chowdhury confirmed the decline in boro rice production, saying he had seen few paddy fields this year. He said farmers can get 35-40 maunds of maize from one bigha (33 acres), and the cost of production is 20-30% lower than for boro rice. Freshly harvested maize is sold by farmers for 24-25 taka per kilogram, while companies buy it from contract traders for 28-29 taka per kilogram. After a month of storage, the price can rise to 32-34 taka and in the off-season, to 36-40 taka per kilogram.

Director of the Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute, Dr. Salahuddin Ahmed, stressed that Bangladesh’s climate is extremely conducive to maize cultivation. The increase in the area sown to 0.55 million hectares this year indicates a strategic shift in agricultural practices that contributes to the economic benefits of farmers and meets market demand. The record maize harvest is expected to not only strengthen food security but also support the development of related sectors such as poultry farming and food processing.

Tags: corn, Bangladesh