In MY2024-25, the total harvested area was recorded at 11.4 million hectares, with production at 36.6 million tonnes.
ANM Mohibub Uz Zaman

The country is poised for a substantial rise in rice production during the upcoming Marketing Year (May-April) 2025-26, as favourable weather conditions, expanded cultivation areas, and robust government support converge to boost output amid surging domestic demand.

According to a report from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the total rice harvested area is forecast at 11.75 million hectares, yielding an estimated 37.55 million tonnes of rice — marking a 3.1% and 2.6% rise, respectively, compared to MY2024-25 estimates.

The optimistic forecast assumes stable climatic conditions, adequate availability of seeds and fertilisers, and sustained assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture’s Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).

In MY2024-25, the total harvested area was recorded at 11.4 million hectares, with production at 36.6 million tonnes, according to final crop production data from the DAE and USDA observations.
Despite increased production, high rice prices are expected to persist until May 2025, when the boro rice harvest enters the market. This influx is likely to result in a temporary price decline lasting two to three months.

However, given the rising cost of rice production, prices are anticipated to climb again by August 2025.

Agricultural economist Dr Jahangir Alam Khan told the Daily Sun that higher input costs, including fertilisers and labour, have significantly increased the overall production cost of rice.
He noted that while production is set to rise, farmers are facing financial challenges due to these escalating costs, which may impact profitability.

The report also projects rice imports at 600,000 tonnes for MY2025-26, representing a 25% decrease from the MY2024-25 estimate.
This forecast is based on expectations of a good harvest from the boro rice season in April-May 2025, followed by aus and aman rice in subsequent seasons, lowering the demand for imports.

Currently, rice prices in the domestic market remain high. The report anticipates that elevated rice prices will continue throughout MY2025-26 as production costs are expected to rise further.
Consumption patterns and emerging trends

Rice remains the staple food of Bangladesh, with consumption projected to reach 38 million tonnes in MY2025-26, slightly surpassing the 37.8 million tonnes estimated for MY2024-25.
The increase is attributed to population growth and the growing use of rice in the animal feed industry.

Although per capita daily rice consumption has declined from 0.46 kg in 2000 to 0.33 kg in 2022, demand for various rice varieties remains robust.

Most Bangladeshi consumers prefer parboiled rice, though some regions favour non-parboiled types. A significant portion is also used to produce puffed rice, a popular snack nationwide.

In addition to human consumption, an increasing amount of rice is being utilised in animal feed production. The poultry, cattle, and aqua feed industries have been incorporating broken rice and de-oiled rice bran (DORB) as cost-effective fillers in feed formulas.

Other by-products, such as rice bran and rice polish, are essential components of commercial feed production.

A study by the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU) under Bangladesh’s Ministry of Food revealed that approximately 3.5 million tonnes of rice is used annually at the household level to feed poultry, cattle, and fish, underscoring the expanding role of rice beyond direct human consumption.

Farmers cultivating inbred varieties often save paddy to be used as seed in subsequent seasons, although official data on the amount of rice used as seed is unavailable. It is estimated to be around 500,000 tonnes.

Published Date: April 3, 2025