Bangladesh Rice Import Tender and Its Impact on India
30-Jul-2025 08:03 AM
Bangladesh Rice Import Tender and Its Impact on India
★ Bangladesh plans to issue a tender on August 7 for the import of 0.9 million tonnes of rice, which has driven up non-basmati rice prices in India.
★ India is likely to secure a significant share of this export order due to its competitive advantage in pricing and freight.
★ This could bring substantial gains for exporters of non-basmati varieties such as Swarna, Miniket, and Sona Masoori.
★ In FY 2024–25, India exported 0.8 million tonnes of rice to Bangladesh, accounting for 5.5% of India’s total non-basmati rice exports of 14.13 million tonnes.
★ Domestic prices in India have surged by 8–10%, particularly for varieties widely consumed in Bangladesh.
★ Swarna prices are now around ₹32/kg, while Miniket and Sona Masoori prices have reached up to ₹45/kg.
★ Bangladesh’s government agencies will import 0.4 million tonnes, and private importers will bring in 0.5 million tonnes.
★ The supply will be permitted within six weeks after the tender is issued.
★ Most of the Miniket and Sona Masoori supply will come from West Bengal, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Bihar.
★ Bangladesh estimates rice production at 37.55 million tonnes for 2025–26 but remains proactive in imports to ensure adequate supply.
★ In FY25, Bangladesh imported a total of 1.3 million tonnes of rice, the second-highest since FY18 (0.97 million tonnes).