Staff Correspondent 

The import cost of rice witnessed 22.5 per cent decline, reaching $528.9 million in the past financial year 2025-26, according to Bangladesh Bank data.

The amount of imports was worth $682.4 million in FY25, according to the central bank’s data, compiled based on commodity-wise import statistics recorded by customs.

Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension said the decline in rice imports was largely driven by higher domestic output during FY26.

He also said that favourable weather and expanded cultivation across the Aus, Aman, and Boro seasons helped push total rice production.

With local production covering a larger share of consumption this year, importers scaled back their purchases.

The official also noted that despite the drop in rice imports, overall food grain imports still rose by 11.7 per cent in FY26, driven mainly by higher wheat imports.

The DEA estimated that the country could produce around 42.7 million tonnes of Aus, Aman, and Boro rice in FY26, which is higher from 40.4 million tonnes produced in FY25.

Moreover, in its recently published ‘World Agricultural Production’ report, the United States Department of Agriculture said that the estimated production of rice in Bangladesh was 37.4 million tonnes in the marketing year 2025-26, which was 36.6 million tonnes in MY25.

According to central bank data, the overall import of food grains increased by 11.7 per cent in FY26 to $2.57 billion, which was $2.3 billion in FY25.

Apart from rice, Bangladesh imported wheat worth $2.05 billion in FY26, a robust 26.1 per cent increase from $1.62 billion in FY25.

In FY26, the country imported consumer goods worth $5.03 billion, 11.4 per cent decrease from $5.68 billion imported in FY25.

Among the notable consumer goods, milk and milk cream imports increased by 7 per cent to $490 million, which was $458 million in FY25, while spice imports stood at $462 million, a 0.6  per cent higher than $459 million imported in FY25.

Bangladesh spent $2.5 billion to import edible oil in FY26, which was 7.7 per cent lower than $2.71 billion spent in FY25, the Bangladesh Bank data reported.

Customs house recorded data stated that pulse imports also declined by 35 per cent to 615 million, which was $946 million in FY25.

The country’s sugar imports declined by 13 per cent to $959 million in FY26, which was $1.10 billion in FY25, according to the BB data.

In the past financial year, the country imported fertiliser of worth $3.72 billion, a robust 41.9 per cent higher from $2.62 billion spent in FY25 to import fertiliser.

According to the commodity-wise import statistics recorded by customs, the country spent $75.24 billion in importing food grains, consumer goods, intermediate goods, fertiliser, and capital goods in FY26, which was 10.1 per cent higher than $68.35 billion spent  in FY25.

Published Date: August 24, 2026