First shipment of wheat under US trade deal arrives in Bangladesh

A ship carrying about 57,000 tonnes of wheat from the United States has arrived at Chittagong Port, marking the start of wheat imports under a government-to-government agreement between Bangladesh and the United States. The MV Norse Stride has delivered 56,959 tonnes of wheat, the Bangladesh Food Ministry said in a press release. The consignment is the first of a planned 440,000 tonnes of wheat to be imported under an agreement between the Bangladesh Food Directorate and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The ship arrived at the outer roadstead of Chittagong Port on Saturday and is currently undergoing sample testing of the wheat to check its quality before unloading.

Of the total wheat delivered by MV Norse Stride, 34,170 tonnes will be unloaded at Chittagong Port, while the remaining 22,789 tonnes will be shipped to Mongla Port. The imports are being made to meet the country’s food needs, as Bangladesh’s annual wheat requirement is over 7 million tonnes, of which only 1.1 million tonnes is met domestically. The rest of the demand is met through imports, with Russia remaining the largest supplier, accounting for 54% of wheat imports in the last fiscal year, followed by Ukraine (14%) and India.

The Bangladesh government recently decided to import wheat from the US to reduce the trade imbalance between the two countries and avoid possible US tariffs on Bangladeshi products. The wheat is being procured through Agrocrop International, an authorized US Wheat Associates, at a price of $302 per tonne. The agreement to import wheat under this intergovernmental contract was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Public Procurement on 23 July.

These imports are part of Bangladesh’s strategy to ensure food security and diversify wheat sources. It is expected that further supplies under the agreement with the US will contribute to market stability and reduce dependence on traditional suppliers.

Tags: wheat, USA, Bangladesh