DHAKA, BANGLADESH (RFD-TV) — With China halting purchases of American soybeans after a renewed tariff dispute, Bangladesh is emerging as a key new buyer — snapping up surplus U.S. supplies at bargain prices.
The Daily Star reports that Bangladeshi importers and crushers are taking advantage of a widening price gap, with U.S. soybeans selling for about $470 per ton, compared to $490 or more for Brazilian cargoes. The shift comes as Chinese tariffs of 20 percent have sharply reduced U.S. exports to their once-top destination, leaving farmers with excess stock and lower farm-gate prices.
Deputy General Manager Taslim Shahriar of Meghna Group of Industries told The Daily Star that his company now sources 80 percent of its soybeans from the U.S., up from 40 percent before the tariff change, citing both cost savings and higher seed quality.
U.S. shipments to Bangladesh jumped to roughly 400,000 tons over August and September — double the previous two-month total — and made up nearly 87 percent of all soybeans imported in September, according to the U.S. Soybean Export Council.
Industry leaders say the trend could modestly narrow the U.S.-Bangladesh trade gap, which remains heavily in Dhaka’s favor, and reinforce the Trump administration’s goal of reducing bilateral deficits. Bangladesh’s crushers are forecast to process a record 2.4 million tons of soybeans in the 2025-26 marketing year, up more than 9 percent as the country benefits from global supply reshuffling.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Bangladesh’s buying surge offers temporary relief for U.S. farmers facing weaker Chinese demand, highlighting how global politics can reshape export outlets overnight.
Tony St. James, RFD-TV Markets Expert
“Farmers for Free Trade” warns that disaster is brewing as President Trump’s trade policy is causing farm input costs to rise even more.
October 22, 2025 12:07 PM
·
NCBA CEO Colin Woodall says more conversations need to occur with stakeholders present surrounding President Trump’s proposal to lower consumer beef prices with Argentinian imports.
October 22, 2025 11:53 AM
·
Corn and wheat inspections outpaced last year, but soybean movement remains seasonally active yet behind, keeping basis and freight dynamics in focus by corridor.
October 21, 2025 04:00 PM
·
Lawmakers are pressing for answers on how Washington’s “managed trade” approach — keeping leverage through long-term tariffs — will affect farmers, global markets, and future export opportunities.
October 21, 2025 12:17 PM
·
Lyndsey Smith with Real Ag Radio joined RFD-TV to share a Canadian perspective on the discussions.
October 20, 2025 03:30 PM
·
Ryan Dunsbergen, soybean product manager for Golden Harvest, shares an overview of their new soybean seed lineup and what growers can expect in 2026.
October 20, 2025 02:48 PM
·
Bioethanol is becoming a global standard. For growers, that boom comes as drops in Mississippi River levels and in soybean demand occur in tandem, leaving barge space for corn and wheat.
October 20, 2025 01:32 PM
·
The government shutdown has touched nearly every sector of the ag industry since it began, and now impacts are spilling over into dairy.
October 20, 2025 12:46 PM
·
With China halting U.S. soybean purchases and talks tied to broader strategic issues, growers face renewed export uncertainty.
October 20, 2025 11:52 AM
·
