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In 2023, Bangladesh produced 4.87 million tonnes of maize. This represents a record high and a 7% increase over the previous year. The increasing demand from the feed and food processing industries has contributed to this rise. Wheat and maize are the two important cereals next to rice in Bangladesh and play an important role in attaining food and nutritional security. During 2021-22, 1.17 million ton of wheat were produced from -0.32 million ha, which can meet only 20% of the national requirement. On the other hand, demand for wheat has been increasing every year at the rate of 13% due to rapid changes in dietary habits, socio-economic upliftment, enhancement of per capita income, rapid growth of fast food restaurants, establishment of branded bakery and biscuit industries, etc. There isa significant increase in wheat productivity of 3.65 t/ha in 2021-22, which was possible through the dissemination of high-yielding, disease resistant and stress-tolerant varieties and improved management practices to the farmers. Although maize is not a staple food cereal in Bangladesh yet, presently it is the third most important cereal after rice and wheat. During 2021-22, 5.63 million tons of maize were produced from 0.55 million ha of land, whereas the annual grain requirement is about 7.0 million tons. A current national average yield of maize is 10.2 t/ha, which is due to the introduction of hybrids and the adoption of appropriate crop management practices. Demand for maize is increasing in Bangladesh day by day due to’ increasing demand for poultry, fish, and animal feed, and the production of different types of processed foods, and also for export. See more.
Key points about maize/corn production in Bangladesh:
Production:
Maize production in Bangladesh reached a record 4.87 million tonnes in FY 2023-24. 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 the latest data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the official statistics provider. See more.
Demand:
The increasing demand from the feed and food processing industries is driving production. Maize, a little-known crop three decades ago, continues its triumph over wheat, paddy, and other crops due to its higher yield and profitability. In the current fiscal year (FY) 2024-25 ending in June, maize acreage has reached 6.72 lakh hectares, setting a new record. The acreage was 6.42 lakh hectares in fiscal 2023-24, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE). Official data shows that two and a half decades ago, maize was grown on only around 5,000 hectares. This shift occurred as many growers switched from wheat to maize during the last winter, the main season for maize cultivation, according to estimates by the DAE. Farmers say they prefer growing maize over other crops due to its consistent demand in the feed industry, which caters to poultry, fish, and livestock farmers. Besides, maize can be cultivated alongside potatoes and other vegetables. See more.
Maize/Corn varieties
During the period between 1986 and 2013, 9 composites, including field corn, popcorn, sweet corn, and baby corn, have been developed and released, of which some have gained popularity among farmers. Since the early nineties, the research strategy has been directed from composite and synthetic towards the development of hybrids. Programs have also been taken up for the development of inbred lines from locally using hybrids and OPVs. Promising commercially cultivated single crosses are being recycled for the extraction of superior inbred lines. In the meantime, both exotic and locally developed lines used for the development of single cross and a good success have been achieved. Besides inbred line development, maize improvement program of BWMRI has also been testing exotic hybrids received from CIMMYT through project based (HTMA project) international trials in collaboration with private partners (BRAC, ACI Ltd. and Lal Teer Seed Ltd.) with a view to identify better performing hybrids, targeted for stress prone areas (heat). Using introduced and locally developed inbred lines, the maize breeding program has so far developed and released 20 hybrids from 2000 to 2023 of various kinds. See more.
Research:
Both composite and hybrid maize are grown, with hybrid maize having a greater yield per hectare. The Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI) is working on developing high-yielding varieties with resistance to stresses and suitable for existing cropping systems. Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI) is entrusted with the research work for the improvement of wheat and maize in Bangladesh. This report contains the results of research activities conducted during 2021-22 across the country. Major thrust was given to develop high-yielding wheat and maize varieties with resistance/tolerance to a range of abiotic (heat, drought, salinity) and biotic (diseases) stresses, and fitting well to the existing cropping systems. Variations and recombination have been created through hybridization every year at BWMRI to generate new genetic stocks and select climate-resilient and disease-resistant varieties. Moreover, Marker Assisted Breeding has been introduced to bring new momentum to the variety improvement programme. The special research programme has been undertaken in collaboration with CIMMYT, KSU, CSIRO, ACIAR, SLU, KGF, UQ-Australia, and USAID to develop abiotic (heat, drought, salinity) and biotic (diseases) stresses in wheat and maize varieties. See more.
Uses:
Maize has diverse uses in Bangladesh, including being a source of nutrients for the population, poultry feed, and raw material for various industries. It's also used in processed foods and, increasingly, for export. With the expansion of the poultry industry in the country, the demand and production of corn are increasing. At the same time, the amount of imports is also increasing. Along with poultry, corn is one of the main ingredients of animal and fish food. Its plants are also fed as grass to cattle. Corn is also widely used in a variety of human food products. Processed foods are being produced. Farmers are being motivated to cultivate corn due to getting better prices compared to other crops. Cultivated land has almost doubled in the last decade. Those concerned say that if the versatile use of corn can be ensured through the development of weather-suitable varieties, farmers and consumers will benefit economically overall.
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