Signs of Rising Maize Imports in Bangladesh

22-Apr-2026 12:23 PM

Mirpur. Driven by the rapid growth and expansion of the animal feed manufacturing industry in Bangladesh, the demand and consumption of maize are continuously on the rise.

To meet this demand, emphasis is being placed on boosting domestic maize production, while simultaneously increasing imports from abroad. Previously, Bangladesh sourced the majority of its maize imports from India; however, Brazil has now supplanted India as the primary supplier.

Furthermore—for the first time since 2018—Bangladesh has also commenced importing maize from the United States. This development is attributed to specific conditions stipulated by the U.S.

During the 2025-26 season, U.S. maize accounted for an 11 percent share of Bangladesh's total maize imports. A vessel carrying approximately 60,000 tons of U.S. maize arrived at Bangladesh's Chittagong port during the first week of January 2026.

Subsequently, two additional vessels delivered nearly 100,000 tons of U.S. maize to the country. Consequently, the total volume of imports reached 160,000 tons.

In the 2025-26 season, a total of 1.8 million tons of maize was imported into the country, primarily from India, Brazil, and the United States. For the 2026-27 season, imports are projected to reach 1.7 million tons.