ARLINGTON, VA. — Under a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with U.S. Wheat Associates (USW), the Government of Bangladesh has committed to purchasing 700,000 metric tons (MT) (25.7 million bushels) of U.S. wheat annually for the next five years. The deal reaffirms the country’s commitment to bolstering national food security and advancing trade relations with the United States, while also helping U.S. wheat farmers gain consistent demand in the Bangladesh market.
“Through this MOU signing, the Bangladesh government reiterates its commitment to deepening and renewing its longstanding friendship with the United States,” said USW President and CEO Mike Spier. “The delegation emphasized the need to strengthen and expand trade relations with the Trump Administration, with a particular focus on reducing the existing trade imbalance between the United States and Bangladesh. The agreement also provides an opportunity to demonstrate on a large scale how U.S. farmers can reliably meet the country’s need for high-quality milling wheat.”
At a signing ceremony in Dhaka on July 20, U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Tracey Ann Jacobson joined senior officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Bangladesh Ministry of Food. On behalf of the United States, Joe Sowers, USW Regional Vice President for South and Southeast Asia, signed the MOU with the Government of Bangladesh, represented by Md Abul Hasanath Humayun Kabir, Director General of the Directorate General of Food.
This commitment underscores the Bangladesh government’s intent to maintain a stable and diversified wheat supply while forging stronger ties with the U.S. agricultural sector. Bangladesh has historically acted as a swing buyer of U.S. wheat when prices are competitive. U.S. wheat purchases have ranged from no imports to the last high of 450,000 MT (16.5 million bushels) in the 2019/20 marketing year. The most recent significant purchase was approximately 150,000 MT (5.51 million bushels) of U.S. hard red spring (HRS) wheat in 2023/24.
“This agreement marks a strategic step toward strengthening Bangladesh’s food supply chain while promoting mutually beneficial trade,” Sowers said. “The inclusion of U.S. wheat in Bangladesh’s procurement quota reflects a concerted effort to address the trade imbalance between our countries.”
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U.S. Wheat Associates’ (USW) mission is to “develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance wheat’s profitability for U.S. wheat producers and its value for their customers.” USW activities in more than 100 countries are made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 17 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding provided by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. USW maintains 15 offices strategically located around the world to help wheat buyers, millers, bakers, wheat food processors and government officials understand the quality, value, and reliability of all six U.S. wheat classes. For more information, visit www.uswheat.org
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