Bangladesh approves 70,000 tonnes of fertiliser imports for Aman season

Dhaka: Bangladesh has approved the purchase of 70,000 tonnes of fertilisers to meet the requirements of farmers during the ongoing Aman rice season.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) approved the import of 40,000 tonnes of Diammounium Phosphate fertiliser and 30,000 tonnes of Tripale Super Phosphate fertiliser, both from Morocco.

The government will procure 40,000 tonnes of DAP at $894 per tonne, with the total cost estimated at around Tk 441 crore.

Another 30,000 tonnes of TSP will be purchased at $669.33 per tonne, costing approximately Tk 247.79 crore.

International prices for the two fertilisers have moved differently. The World Bank’s July average stood at $781 per tonne for DAP and $719 per tonne for TSP.

The latest purchase comes as Bangladesh increases fertiliser imports to meet requirements for both the Aman and upcoming Boro seasons.

During the last two weeks of August, the government approved imports of 4.8 lakh tonnes of different fertilisers to prevent supply shortages.

Aman runs from July to October, while Boro runs from October to April. Together, the two seasons account for more than 90% of Bangladesh’s rice production and require over 43 lakh tonnes of chemical fertiliser.

Bangladesh consumes around 66 lakh tonnes of fertiliser annually, with rice cultivation accounting for about 75% of total use. More than 85% of the country’s fertiliser requirement is met through imports, making global supply and price movements important for the domestic farm sector.