Business Correspondent

The Ministry of Commerce has extended the deadline for aromatic rice exports to November 30. The previous deadline was September 30.

A total of 50 companies will be able to export rice during the extended period. This information was given in a letter signed by Deputy Secretary of the Ministry’s Export-2 Branch, on Monday.

According to terms of the letter, rice cannot be exported more than the approved quantity and the minimum export price will be US$ 1.60 per kg. In addition, this permission is not transferable in any way, so the approved exporter will not be able to give sub-contracts without exporting it himself.

It has also been said customs authorities will conduct proper inspection of the exportable products. After the shipment of each consignment, all export-related documents will be sent to the Export-2 Branch.

In case of subsequent applications, all information related to actual export quantity from the previously approved quantity will have to be applied for. The government can cancel this export permission at any time if necessary.

Earlier, the Ministry of Commerce issued a circular on May 28, allowing 52 companies to export 5,800 tonnes of Aromatic rice.

At that time, Commerce Secretary Md Mahbubur Rahman said permission to export this rice was given in view of the demand of exporters.

Before that, on April 8, the ministry had given permission to export 18,150 tonnes of Aromatic rice to 133 companies. The total amount of approval increased to 23,950 tonnes in two rounds.

Export of Aromatic rice from Bangladesh started in 2009-10 fiscal year. Rice exports were stopped for the first time in 2022, after which the government stopped exporting Aromatic rice in October 2013, although it gave some permission occasionally.

In the first year, 663 tonnes of Aromatic rice were exported from the country. In the following years, export volume increased and reached 10,879 tonnes in 2019-20 fiscal year.

According to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Aromatic rice worth $8.6 million was exported in the fiscal 2019-20, for $8.5 million in fiscal 2020-21, and $5.1 million in fiscal year 2021-22.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, the country produces an average of 1.8-2 million tonnes of Aromatic rice annually. Previously, an average 10,000 tonnes were exported annually.

.So far, Aromatic rice has been exported to more than 130 countries around the world, including the United Arab Emirates, European countries, Britain, USA Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and South Korea.

Published Date: October 31, 2025