United News of Bangladesh

Soil fertility in eight districts of northern Bangladesh is steadily deteriorating, raising concerns about long-term agricultural productivity, according to a new research report by the Rangpur Divisional Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI). Researchers say that fertility loss, nutrient imbalance, and increasing soil acidity are spreading rapidly across the region, with organic matter, the foundation of healthy soil, falling to its lowest recorded levels in some areas. “The decline is so severe that even heavy application of chemical fertilisers is failing to translate into higher productivity,” the report warns. Researchers estimate that fertilisers worth hundreds of crores of taka are wasted annually, as crops are unable to absorb essential nutrients. The SRDI conducted tests on soil samples from 38 upazilas across five districts in the Rangpur division. Md. Saifur Rahman, chief scientific officer of the institute, said healthy soil must contain adequate levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, zinc, calcium, magnesium, boron, molybdenum, iron, manganese, copper, chlorine and organic matter to sustain crop production. Read more: Enough fertilizer in stock to last till December: Agriculture Secretary “Fertilisers should be applied based on soil health tests and nutrient requirements. This ensures satisfactory crop yields while preventing qualitative deterioration of the soil caused by arbitrary fertiliser use, which can reduce production,” he said. The alarming soil condition is not confined to the north, he noted, but is also seen across other regions of Bangladesh. Fertiliser Misuse Md Sirajul Islam, additional director of the Rangpur Agricultural Extension Department, highlighted the widespread use of chemical fertilisers. “At least 20 types of fertilisers, both legal and illegal, are being used in agriculture. Farmers are most familiar with seven, including urea, molybdenum, magnesium, phosphorus, boron, potassium, and sulfur,” he said. Farmers often rely on estimates rather than scientific measurement, resulting in imbalanced or inadequate application. “Proper application is essential for soil health,” he said, warning that the issue affects not only the Rangpur and Rajshahi-Barendra regions but also districts across other river basins. Experts pointed out that about 80% of farmers directly involved in agriculture are uneducated and apply fertilisers without guidance, exacerbating the decline in soil health. Read more: Shahjalal Fertilizer Factory resumes production after five-month closure Alarming Decline of Essential Nutrients SRDI scientists say a healthy crop requires 16 essential nutrients, 13 of which must come from the soil. Latest tests, however, show nine of these nutrients are now at minimum or critical levels in many parts of northern Bangladesh. Organic matter has dropped to 1–2% instead of the ideal 5%, soil pH has fallen to 4.4–5.5 rather than 6.0–7.5, nitrogen levels are 0.09–0.18% against a recommended 0.27–0.36%, and sulphur is far below the optimum 22–30 ppm. Biological Systems under Threat Excessive chemical use, coupled with reduced application of cow dung, compost, crop residues and other organic materials, has sharply reduced soil biodiversity. Beneficial organisms such as earthworms, which naturally mix soil layers and maintain fertility, have declined significantly. “This breakdown of biological processes is damaging the soil’s long-term health,” said Saifur Rahman. Although Bangladesh has 39 fixed soil-testing laboratories and several mobile labs, the majority of farmers never have their soil tested. Experts warn that without accessible soil testing and proper fertiliser use training, the country could face significant drops in food production in the coming years. Read more: Hidden hands in the fields: Dealers blamed for artificial fertiliser shortage in north Looming National Crisis The SRDI report cautions that if current trends continue, Bangladesh may face reduced yields in staple crops, increased pest outbreaks, and a rising dependence on fertiliser imports. These challenges could make cultivation costlier and reduce farmers’ profit margins.

Farmers across five northern districts — Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Nilphamari — are facing mounting difficulties due to what they describe as an artificial crisis of non-urea fertilisers such as TSP, DAP and MOP. Many have been forced to pay extra or delay cultivation, raising fears of reduced crop yields. Although the Agriculture Department has dismissed the situation as artificial, farmers say fertilisers are simply unavailable through official dealers. They allege that retailers are selling fertilisers at inflated prices, taking advantage of the high seasonal demand. Officials insist that there is no genuine shortage, claiming that sufficient stock is available in the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) warehouses. They blame a section of unscrupulous dealers for creating an artificial crisis to earn higher profits. Farmers struggling to prepare land With the potato and maize planting season approaching, many farmers have been unable to prepare their fields in time. Abdar Hossain, a farmer from Karanpur village in Lalmonirhat, said, “When we go to dealers, they say fertiliser is out of stock. But retail shops have plenty—only they charge Tk 8–10 more per kilogramme.” Govt approves purchase of 65,000 MT of fertilizer Abu Taleb, a farmer from Baura in Patgram upazila, echoed similar concerns, “Land cannot be prepared without non-urea fertiliser. Fertiliser is needed most now, and demand will rise further in November. If we do not get it on time, we will suffer a big loss.” In Rangpur’s Gangachara, farmer Sujan Mia said they are unable to get fertiliser even after offering to pay extra. “We are at a loss as to how to cultivate maize in the pasture,” he said. Another farmer, Joynal Abedin of Kaunia, expressed frustration, saying, “Fertiliser is not available from dealers, but retailers sell it at a higher price. In which country do we live? Nothing seems to be in order.” BADC Lalmonirhat warehouse assistant director Ekramul Haque said fertilisers are being sold through 144 authorised dealers in the district at government-fixed prices. “The government sells TSP at Tk 25 per kg, DAP at Tk 19 and MOP at Tk 18 to dealers, who may add a Tk 2 profit per kg,” he explained. Haque maintained that the warehouse holds sufficient stocks as per government allocation, though he acknowledged that the allocation is around 25 percent lower than total demand. Similarly, the BADC additional director in Rangpur claimed there was no shortage in any district and blamed dishonest traders for creating panic in the market. “We are closely monitoring the market, and the problem will be resolved soon,” he added. Sirajul Islam, additional director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Rangpur, agreed that the crisis was being fuelled by a few profiteering traders. “There is sufficient fertiliser stock in BADC warehouses. Some traders are creating an artificial shortage in the hope of higher profits. Mobile courts are being conducted against such unscrupulous traders,” he said. 416 bags of fertilizer unauthorised for sale seized in Lalmonirhat

Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Tuesday dismissed allegations that a particular company got special advantage in fertiliser imports and said the matter falls under the purview of the ministries concerned.  “It is not correct to say that the Finance Ministry gave such approval. Fertiliser imports are mostly managed by the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) under the Agriculture Ministry along with the Industries Ministry. It is their responsibility,” he told reporters after chairing meetings of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase and the Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs. He said these responding to reporters query whether the government bypassed lower bidders in awarding fertiliser import contracts, leading to higher procurement costs. Asked whether any inquiry was underway, he said, “I don’t know the details. If there are specific allegations those ministries concerned will look into it.” He said if the lowest bidder was not selected it should be examined and such issues must be investigated. The Agriculture Ministry on September 13 rejected recent media reports alleging irregularities in fertiliser procurement terming them ‘baseless, imaginary, motivated and untrue’. According to the ministry, in line with government policy, non-urea fertilisers are imported both by private importers and under state-level contracts or G-to-G agreements. After assuming office, the interim government decided to issue purchase orders only to companies offering the lowest prices which, it said, saved foreign currency and prevented abnormal profiteering. Finance Adviser stresses efficient, client-friendly taxpayer services Since no single country can simultaneously meet Bangladesh’s fertiliser demand imports are sourced from multiple countries to ensure uninterrupted supply. The ministry said cost and freight (CFR) prices vary depending on distance and transportation costs, while international bulletins such as Argus FMB and FERTICON are used to verify rates. Government data show that in the first phase of the 2025-26 fiscal year, 13 companies were awarded contracts to supply 30,000 tonnes of TSP, 2.55 lakh tonnes of DAP and 90,000 tonnes of MOP fertilisers. In the second phase, six more companies received orders to supply 90,000 tonnes of TSP and 1.20 lakh tonnes of DAP at the same prices.  

The government on Thursday approved proposals to procure essential commodities including 1.10 crore litres of edible oil, 10,000 metric tons of lentils, 1,00,000 metric tons of fertiliser and refined fuel oil to meet the country’s demand. The approval came during a meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase (ACCGP) held at the Cabinet Division conference room at the Bangladesh Secretariat, with Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed in the cahir. State-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will purchase 1.10 crore litres of soybean oil at Tk 189.14 crore from Super Oil Refinery Limited through the local Open Tender Method (OTM) for the current fiscal year with per litter oil at Tk 171.95. Govt to procure soybean oil, lentil, LNG and fertiliser to meet domestic needs In response to a proposal from the Ministry of Commerce, TCB will also procure 10,000 metric tons of lentils from Shabnam Vegetable Oil Industries Limited under OTM at an estimated cost of Tk 94.95 crore with per kg costing Tk 94.95. The Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will acquire 30,000 metric tons of bulk granular urea fertilizer from Qatar Energy Marketing under the 8th lot for the current fiscal year at approximately Tk 127.68 crore, with the cost per ton set at $354.67. The Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) under the Ministry of Agriculture will purchase 40,000 metric tons of DAP fertiliser from Saudi Arabia’s MA'ADEN, under a state-level agreement at Tk 296.16 crore. Besides, BADC will procure 30,000 metric tons of TSP fertilizer from Morocco’s OCP NUTRICROPS SA at a cost of around Tk 158.40 crore. The Energy and Mineral Resources Division will procure refined fuel oil for January to June 2025 through premium and reference price process from eight enterprises of seven countries at a cost of around Tk 11,479.04 crore. The companies are PTTT of Thailand, OQT of Oman, ENOC of the United Arab Emirates, Petrochina of China, BSP of Indonesia, PTLCL of Malaysia, UNIPEC of China and IOCL of India. The purchase is being made under the government-to-government (G2G) term agreement.

The government will procure lentil, loose soybean oil, loose palm oil, LNG, fertiliser, crude and refined petroleum oil. The Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase in a meeting, with Finance Advisor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair, approved a number of proposals of different ministries in this regard on Wednesday. It also approved printing of textbooks for students. Approving the proposals, Dr Salehuddin Ahmed said the government has been promptly approving different proposals to buy essential commodities which reflects the cordial intention of the government to keep the market stable through ensuring smooth supply. Govt to procure rice, sugar, lentil, fertilizer for domestic needs As per proposals, moved by the Commerce Ministry, the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will purchase 10,000 metric tons (MT) of lentils, 38.10 lakh litres of loose soybean oil, 1.10 lakh litres of palm oil for its Open Market Sale Programme. Of these, the Nabil Naba Foods Limited won a contract through open tender to supply 10,000 MT of lentil at Tk 95.97 crore with each kg at Tk 95.97. Each bag will contain 50 kg lentils. S Alam Super Edible Oil Ltd will supply 38.10 lakh litres of refined loose soybean oil under direct purchase method (DPM) at a cost of Tk 53.34 crore, with each litre at Tk 140 while the same company will supply 1.10 lakh refined loose palm oil at a cost of Tk 143 crore with each litre at Tk 130. The Bangladesh Oil Gas and Petroleum Corporation – Petrobangla will import one cargo of LNG through international quotation from the international spot market. TCB to procure soybean oil, sugar, lentil to sell through OMS Vitol Asia Pte. Ltd, Singapore will supply the cargo at a cost of Tk 708.55 crore, with each MMBtu at $15.02.The Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) will import 600,000 MT of Murban Crude petroleum from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) of UAE at a cost of Tk 5208.364 crore for the year 2025 while it will import 700,000 MT of Arabian Light Crude (ALC) from Saudi Arabian Oil Company (SAUDI ARAMCO) at a cost of Tk 6025.206 crore.The committee also approved a proposal to import refined petroleum through international; quotation from Unipec Singapore Pte Ltd', Singapore; Vitol Asia Pte-Ltd., Singapore and Co OQ Trading Limited, Dubai' UAE at a cost of Tk 1070.164 crore,. But quantity was not mentioned in the brief proposal. The Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will import 30,000 MT of bulk granular urea fertilizer at Tk 223.23 crore from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia. Govt to procure 55,000 MT soybean oil for OMS The Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) will import 30,000 MT of MOP fertiliser from JSC Foreign Economic corporation "Prodintorg at Tk 104.31 crore, 40,000 MT of DAP fertiliser from OCP NUTRCROPS of Morocco at Tk 280.68 crore, another 30,000 MT of TSP at Tk 252.46 crore from the NUTRCROPS of Morocco. The committee also approved awarding of contracts to different suppliers for printing and supplying of textbooks to distribute those among the students at free of cost.

The government has approved the procurement of rice, sugar, lentil, and fertilizer to address domestic demands and stabilize markets. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Advisors Council Committee on Government Purchase (ACCGP), chaired by Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed. TCB to procure soybean oil, sugar, lentil to sell through OMS Rice Procurement: Imports from Myanmar and India Under proposals from the Commerce Ministry, the Food Directorate will import: * 100,000 metric tons (MT) of white rice from Myanmar through a government-to-government (G-to-G) contract. The Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) will supply the rice at a total cost of Tk 618 crore, with each MT priced at $515. * 50,000 MT of non-Basmati boiled rice through an international open tender. Indian supplier Mondol Stone Product Pvt will provide the rice at a total cost of Tk 280.62 crore, with each MT priced at $467.70. Sugar and Lentil Procurement by TCB The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), under the Commerce Ministry, will procure: * 5,000 MT of sugar through a local open tender. City Sugar Industries will supply the sugar at a cost of Tk 59.21 crore, with each kilogram priced at Tk 118.43. * 10,000 MT of lentils through a local open tender. Payel Traders will supply the lentils at a total cost of Tk 96.69 crore, with each kilogram priced at Tk 96.69. Fertilizer Imports by BCIC The Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), under the Industries Ministry, will import 60,000 MT of urea fertilizer, divided between two contracts: * 30,000 MT of bulk granular urea fertilizer from Saudi Arabia’s SABIC Agri-nutrients Company at a cost of Tk 123.23 crore, with each MT priced at $342.33. * 30,000 MT of bagged prilled urea fertilizer from Qatar Energy Marketing at a cost of Tk 133.08 crore, with each MT priced at $369.67.Govt to procure 51,973 MT paddy from Khulna amid bumper harvest Additionally, the BCIC will import 30,000 MT of rock phosphate through an international open tender. UAE-based Zentrade FZE will supply the product at a cost of Tk 82.62 crore, with each MT priced at $229.50. Govt to procure 55,000 MT soybean oil for OMS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday (November 12, 2023) opened newly built Ghorashal-Palash Urea Fertilizer Factory (GPUFF), the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia, which will reduce the country’s dependence on fertiliser imports and create jobs. The annual production capacity of the environment friendly and modern fertiliser factory in Narsingdi is some 1 million metric tons, capable of producing 2,800 metric tons of urea daily. the local demand for urea fertilizer is some 26 lakh metric tons annually. If this newly built plant goes in full swing production, some 20 lakh metric tons of urea will be produced yearly in the country.So, the factory will play a leading role in meeting the growing demand of urea fertiliser, ensuring supply of fertilizers to farmers at affordable prices, saving foreign currency by reducing imports and creating employment opportunities. Bangladeshi farmers need to use fertilizer and water efficiently: Experts Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) has implemented the 'Ghorashal Polash Urea Fertilizer Project' on 110 acres of land at a cost of around Tk 15,500 crore. The construction work for the project began on March 10, 2020. Out of the total project cost, TK 4,580.21 crore came from the government exchequer while Tk 10,920 crore from Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFG Limited (MUFG) and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) as commercial loan. As per the instruction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2014, the industries ministry took an initiative to set up a new granular urea fertiliser factory at the place of the existing two fertiliser factories - Urea Fertiliser Factory Limited (UFFL) and Polash Urea Fertilizer Factory Limited (PUFFL) at Ghorashal under Palash upazila in Narsingdi district. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited (MHI) and China National Chemical Engineering No 7 Construction Co Ltd (CC-7) jointly constructed the factory, which will have an annual production capacity of 9.24 lakh metric tons. The daily production capacity of the new factory is about three times higher than that of the earlier two fertiliser factories. GPUFF is the first fertiliser factory in Bangladesh where the environmental pollutant Carbon-Di-Oxide (CO2) will be captured from the primary reformer flue gas and the production of urea fertilizer will be increased (about 10pc ) by using the captured CO2. The prime minister released a commemorative postage stamp, marking the inauguration of the factory. Earlier, PM Sheikh Hasina inspected the factory. Fertilizer price increased by 105% in Bangladesh since Russia-Ukraine war: Report

The government of Bangladesh has raised the prices of Urea, TSP, DAP and MOP fertilisers by Tk 5 per kg at both farmer and dealership levels. The new rates came into effect on Monday. The agriculture ministry issued an order in this regard on Monday following a letter sent by the finance department of the finance ministry. The prices have been refixed aiming to keep the fertilizer import at a rational level amid the hike in its prices at the international level and ensure optimum utilization of fertilizers, said the order. Read More: Cabinet body approves proposals for import of LNG, fertiliser and lentil At the farmers’ level, the price of per kg Urea has been raised to Tk 27 from Tk 22, DAP to Tk 21 from Tk 16, TSP to Tk 27 from Tk 22 and MOP to Tk 20 from Tk 15. Similarly, at the dealers’ level, the Urea price has been re-fixed at Tk 25 instead of Tk 20, DAP at Tk 19 instead of Tk 14, TSP at Tk 25 instead of Tk 20 and MOP at Tk 18 instead of Tk 13. The current price of Urea, DAP, TSP and MOP fertilisers in the international market is Tk 48, Tk 70, Tk 50 and Tk 60 per kg respectively. As a result, the government is still giving a subsidy of Tk 21 in Urea, Tk 49 in DAP, Tk 23 in TSP and Tk 40 in MOP per kg even after the latest price hike, said a media release of the agriculture ministry. Read More: Production at Shahjalal Fertiliser Company suspended for 2 months, causing Tk 50 lakh in losses daily Fertilizer prices were raised by 3-4 times in the global market in the last three years, resulting in hike in government subsidy in the country four times, it said. In the fiscal year 2020-21, the amount of subsidy was Tk 7,420 crore while it increased to TK 28 crore in 21-22 FY and in the running 2022-23 fiscal year, about Tk 46,000 crore will be required for subsidy. From 2008-09 to 2022-23 fiscal years, Tk 1,19,837 crore was spent as fertiliser subsidy.

The prices of agricultural input  products including fertiliser and seed will not be increased to continue the current production volume and ensure food security, said Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque. "Increasing food production at any cost for sustainable food security is the current government’s policy," said the minister while addressing the opening ceremony of an international conference on Food and Nutrition Security. The Bangladesh Agricultural Extension Network (BAEN) and India’s Participatory Rural Development Initiative Society (PRDIS) jointly organised the three-day conference. “Thus, the government will not increase the prices of agricultural products despite the current economic situation. The government will continue subsidising the agriculture sector. We’ll do whatever it takes for sustainable agriculture production,” he said. Read more: Bangladesh to buy fertiliser at lower cost, thanks to declining global price “We had a bumper yield of aman paddy this year. A record amount of food grain is in stock. I can guarantee we won’t have to witness a famine,” he said. He also stated that agricultural extension workers must investigate why new crop varieties and technology take so long to reach farmers.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) on Wednesday approved a number of proposals including import of a total of 180,000 metric tons (MT) of fertiliser. The committee also approved a proposal of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority to pay 65 percent of the payment in Bangladesh currency and remaining 35 percent in foreign currency (US dollar) to the Chinese service provider of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel. Read more: Proposals to import sugar, fertilizer get cabinet body nod Earlier, the Chinese CCCC was appointed as service provider at a cost of Tk 983.82 crore for a five-year tenure. It will collect the toll from the tunnel user vehicles and also conduct its operation and maintenance work. Under the new approval, the Chinese CCCC will get annually Tk 656.98 crore (as 65 percent of the payment) in local currency and $35.162 million (equivalent to Tk 326.83 crore) in US dollar. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the virtual meeting while members of the committee attended it. As per approval, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will import 90,000 MT of urea fertiliser in four equal lots while the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation will import the remaining 90,000 MT MOP and DAP fertiliser in two lots. In one lot, the BCIC will import 30,000 MT of bulk granular urea fertiliser from Fertiglobe Distribution Limited, UAE at a cost of Tk 189.28 crore with per matric ton’s value at $594.67. Some 60,000 MT of the same urea will be imported by the BCIC from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company of Saudi Arabia in two lots (each 30,000 MT) at the same rate and the total cost will be Tk 387.56 crore. Read more: Cabinet purchase body okays import of 90,000 MT fertiliser, other proposals The BCIC will also import 30,000 MT of phosphoric acid from Sun International of FZE, the UAE (local agent RK Enterprise, Dhaka) at a contract value of Tk 215.14 crore. The BADC, under the Agriculture Ministry, will import 50,000 MT of MOP fertiliser from Canada at a cost of Tk 416.64 crore with per MT price at $821. It will import 40,000 MT of DAP from Saudi Arabia at a cost of Tk 308.78 crore with per MT price at $826.50. The committee gave nod to a proposal of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) to award a Tk 102.61 crore civil work contract to Ideal Electrical Enterprise Ltd., under Bangladesh Power Distribution System Improvement, Mymensingh zone project.