Daily Sun Report, Dhaka

The government has set a target to increase Bangladesh’s public food grain storage capacity to 3.4 million metric tonnes over the next five years, despite maintaining food reserves well above the country’s current safety threshold.

According to the Ministry of Food, Bangladesh had a total food grain stock of 2.37 million metric tonnes, including floating reserves, as of 23 July, exceeding the existing safe reserve benchmark of 1.35 million metric tonnes by more than 1.02 million tonnes.

Officials said the Ministry of Food has already begun implementing measures to achieve the expanded food grain storage capacity, in line with the government’s commitment to strengthening national food security.

Data from the Directorate General of Food show that public warehouses currently hold 1.96 million tonnes of rice, 295,689 tonnes of wheat, and 168,605 tonnes of paddy, while floating rice reserves stand at 8,735 tonnes.

Under the ongoing FY2025-26 Boro procurement drive, the government had procured 1.37 million tonnes of paddy and rice by 23 July, including 459,498 tonnes of paddy, 989,420 tonnes of parboiled rice, 76,814 tonnes of Atap rice, and 523 tonnes of wheat.

During the first 23 days of the 2026-27 fiscal year, Bangladesh imported 320,800 tonnes of food grains. Public-sector imports accounted for 11,650 tonnes, while the private sector imported 309,150 tonnes, according to official data.

Officials said food grain stocks and procurement operations are being closely monitored to ensure stable market supplies, contain rice prices and support public food distribution programmes.

Mohammad Kamrul Islam Chowdhury, Joint Secretary of the Procurement Branch at the Ministry of Food, said the current procurement drive had been implemented successfully and that public warehouses held sufficient stocks of rice and wheat to safeguard national food security.

Firoz Al Mahmud, Research Director of the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU), said the government is continuously expanding storage capacity to meet rising demand driven by population growth and broader social safety net programmes.

Additional Director General of the Directorate General of Food Md Jamal Hossain said Bangladesh’s food security situation remains “highly satisfactory”, adding that food grain storage capacity has already increased from 2.4 million tonnes to 2.7 million tonnes.

He said the government also plans to raise the national safe food reserve benchmark from 1.35 million tonnes to 1.6 million tonnes to better meet future demand and emergency requirements.

Published Date: July 28, 2026