Bangladesh now eighth-largest market for US wheat: envoy

Bangladesh has become the eighth-largest market for US wheat in 2025, following last year’s contracts to purchase the staple from the American market, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen said yesterday.

Bangladesh’s import of US wheat is an important step toward narrowing the trade imbalance between the two countries, he said at an event marking the arrival of around 60,000 tonnes of high-quality US wheat at Chattogram port.

A vessel named MV Clipper Isadora carrying 57,203 tonnes of wheat arrived at the outer anchorage of the port on January 19 under a government-to-government (G2G) memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the two countries

Unloading of 5,400 tonnes of wheat began yesterday at the Directorate General of Food’s silo jetty at the port using two lighterage vessels.

“Bangladesh has long been a valued partner and beneficiary of US agricultural exports, and today’s shipment marks a milestone in our growing trade relationship,” the US ambassador said.

Following the five-year G2G deal signing with US Wheat Associates in July last year, Bangladesh, which was earlier a rare customer of US wheat farmers, has become their eighth-largest market in 2025, he said.

Wheat is Bangladesh’s second-most important staple food after rice, but domestic production meets only 13 percent of national demand. The ambassador said American farmers are ideally positioned to meet that remaining demand.

Also speaking at the event, Food Secretary Md Firoz Sarker said Bangladesh will import 700,000 tonnes of US wheat under the MoU.

The quality of the US wheat received so far has been very good, with a protein content of around 14 percent, he noted.

This will not only strengthen food security but also boost the national economy due to reduced tariffs on Bangladesh’s readymade garments sector, playing an important role in strengthening bilateral relations and long-term friendship, said the secretary.

According to a US embassy press release, under the G2G deal, Bangladesh has so far purchased approximately 660,000 tonnes of wheat through three sales contracts facilitated by leading international commodity trading firm Agrocorp. Of this, more than 350,000 tonnes have already been delivered.

Out of the three sales contracts, around 220,000 tonnes of wheat under the first contract have already been delivered, according to Directorate General of Food officials.

Under the second contract, a vessel with 56,891 tonnes arrived earlier, while Clipper Isadora is the second vessel that brought another 57,203 tonnes.

Two more vessels, each carrying 57,588 tonnes and 58,359 tonnes, will be arriving within a few days.