Maize production in the country reached an all-time high in the last fiscal year (FY 2023-24) thanks to rocketing demand for it from the feed and food-processing industries.
The output registered a record 4.87 million tonnes from 0.513 million hectares of land, both winter and summer crops combined, according to latest data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the official statistics provider.
The production grew by an impressive 7.0 per cent over FY '23 when farmers harvested more than 4.55 million tonnes.
The agriculture ministry had a target to harvest 5.81 million tonnes from 0.543 million hectares.
Director General of the Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute Dr Salahuddin Ahmed said the climate in Bangladesh is suitable for maize farming and farmers are switching gradually from other crops to cultivate it.
"We expect the newly developed seeds to increase production to 6.0 million tonnes," he said, adding that farmers are getting more interested in farming maize due to high prices of the crop amid surging demand from the feed industry.
However, according to the Feed Industries Association of Bangladesh (FIAB), the price of maize is currently Tk 38-42 a kg.
Farm economist Prof Golam Hafeez Kennedy said maize production in one bigha or 33 decimals of land is minimum 30 maunds (1.2 tonnes) in the northern regions. Farmers can make 40-60 per cent profit which is unthinkable in case of other grains or crops.
FIAB General Secretary Mohammad Nazrul Islam said the industry needs at least 6.5 million tonnes of maize annually. "We import 1.0-2.0 million tonnes annually though local corn is more protein-rich and nutritious," he added.
He informed that 50-60 per cent of the local maize is used in poultry feed, 12 per cent in animal feed, 15 per cent in fish feed and the rest by the food processing industries, confectioneries and restaurants.
He said corn silage has also been replacing traditional grass as animal feed which has been showing another earning source.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com