Rice output increased by nearly 0.6 million tonnes to 34.365 million tonnes in the fiscal year (FY) 2013-14 -- an all-time high production recorded in the country.
Rice production achieved a 1.77 per cent growth in the year compared to that of FY '13 when overall production was 33.77 million tonnes, latest government data revealed.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data, released Sunday showed that in the line of success of Aman and Aus, Boro production also reached an all-time high of 19.007 million tonnes in FY '14 - registering a 1.22 pc growth over that of FY '13 when production was 18.778 million tonnes.
Deputy Director (agriculture wing) at BBS Bidhan Baral told the FE that after witnessing a negative output growth in FY '13 over that of FY '12, the production increased in FY '14.
He said the last record of production was 33.88 million tonnes in FY '12.
He said overall acreage decreased but per hectare yield increased in FY '14 as it was recorded at 3.021 tonnes/ha which was below 3.0 tonnes/ha in FY '13.
The Boro production rate in FY '14 was 3.96 tonnes per hectare against 3.94 tonnes of FY '13.
"A total of 11.373 million hectares came under rice farming in FY '14 which was nearly 11.421 million hectares in FY '13 as per the estimation of Bangladesh Space Research & Remote Sensing Organisation (SPARSO)," he said.
The data of the state-run statistics provider showed that Aman output rose by 0.96 per cent and Aus production also showed a significant rise by 7.78 per cent in FY '14 compared to those of FY '13.
The official said BBS jointly with the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) conducted rice yield survey adopting the new crop cutting design.
DAE Director General Md Abbas Ali said favourable weather condition, good price, and supply of quality inputs in time were the keys to the growth.
He said farmers were given developed rice varieties like Brridhan-18, 29, 42, 43, 48, 55, BR-3, 14, 11, 21, 23, 24, 26, and other new varieties developed by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA).
He said the DAE and other government agriculture-based organisations are working hard to recoup the losses incurred due to the recent flood.
"If we succeed in replantation in the affected areas, the present trend of production could be maintained," he said.
However, farm economist Golam Hafiz Kennedy said the consumers got no benefits of the record production.
He said rice prices are hovering between Tk 36-38 (course) and Tk 52-57 (finer) per kg, almost same price range compared to those of FY '13.
He said the rice sector is witnessing a great challenge this FY (2014-15) due to the three-week-long flood which caused submergence to nearly 3.5 per cent of the Aman and Aus lands (combined).
He said the government will have to put its best effort to supply inputs specially saplings to nearly 1.1 million of affected Aman farmers.
"Farmers of Aus fields, which have been damaged in their matured stage, should be compensated," he said.
According to DAE, rice production target has been fixed at 34.5 million tonnes for FY '15.
Three kinds of rice -- Boro, Aman and Aus -- grow in different seasons in Bangladesh. The seasons contributed 55.30 per cent, 37.92 per cent and 6.78 per cent to the total output of rice respectively in FY '14, according to BBS.
Demand for rice in the country now stands at 31.0 million tonnes, Directorate General of Food data showed.
All-time high rice output in FY \\\'14
Yasir Wardad | Published: September 09, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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