Bangladesh receives first US corn shipment in eight years as feed demand rises

BANGLADESH – Bangladesh has imported its first shipment of corn from the United States since 2018, marking a renewed trade flow at a time when the country’s feed industry continues to expand.

The 57,855-tonne cargo, destined for use by commercial feed millers, arrived at Chittagong Port on Jan. 7, according to the US Embassy in Bangladesh.

The corn was harvested in the US Midwest, specifically from North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota, before being shipped out of Vancouver, Washington.

Upon arrival, Erin Covert, agricultural attaché at the US Embassy in Dhaka, visited the port to receive the vessel alongside a consortium of buyers representing three major Bangladeshi feed and poultry groups: Nahar Agro Group, Paragon Group and Nourish Poultry and Hatchery Ltd.

“We are honored to be a part of the first shipment of United States corn to Bangladesh in eight years,” United Grain Corp. said, adding that they appreciate the work of all those involved in making this possible and look forward to supplying Bangladesh with US grains for years to come.

The shipment comes as the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) highlights renewed commercial opportunities for US corn in Bangladesh, particularly in the 2025-26 marketing year.

In a recent outlook, the FAS pointed to improved price competitiveness of US-origin corn as a factor that could support higher sales into the South Asian market.

Bangladesh is projected to import 1.5 million tonnes of corn in 2025-26, according to the FAS.

Brazil currently dominates the market, supplying about 93% of total imports, followed by Argentina at 4%, Pakistan at 2% and India at 1%.

These suppliers have benefited from shorter shipping distances and competitive freight costs, giving them a logistical edge over US exporters in recent years.

Imports are forecast to grow by 6% year on year, driven by higher demand from the country’s feed sector.

Bangladesh has around 150 registered feed companies, which together produce approximately 7.5 million tonnes of commercial feed annually. Poultry feed accounts for roughly 70% of this volume and relies heavily on corn as the primary energy ingredient.

The Feed Industry Association Bangladesh (FIAB) and the Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council (BPICC) have consistently noted that rising poultry consumption, investment in integrated farming, and improved genetics are supporting steady growth in compound feed output.

As a result, demand for imported corn has remained structurally strong despite periodic price volatility in global grain markets.

For the 2025-26 season, the FAS estimates total feed and residual corn use in Bangladesh at 6.9 million tonnes, representing a 2.9% increase from the 2024-25 estimate.

The increase is linked directly to higher feed production and capacity utilization at large commercial mills.

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