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
While the agriculture industry hoped details on proposed “bridge” payments for farmers would be released this week, Ag Secretary Brook Rollins said the USDA is still working with the White House on the finer points.
December 03, 2025 01:36 PM
·
China’s renewed purchases signal improving sorghum demand at a time when export markets are otherwise uneven. Meanwhile, agriculture groups across the U.S, Canada, and Mexico want to protect close trade relations.
December 03, 2025 11:51 AM
·
Strong demand supports sweet potatoes, but grading challenges and rising costs weigh on returns for Southeastern growers.
December 02, 2025 06:17 AM
·
Pressure on grain storage capacity and stronger export positioning are pushing more grain onto railroads, highways, and river systems as logistics become a key bottleneck this fall.
December 01, 2025 05:09 PM
·
The Cotton-4 are pushing hard for new value chain investments. Still, many U.S. cotton producers face unsustainable losses, and weakened regional textile capacity threatens the survival of the Carolina “dirt-to-shirt” supply chain.
December 01, 2025 05:03 PM
·
Tryston Beyrer, Crop Nutrition Lead at The Mosaic Company, examines planning trends as producers weigh corn and soybean plantings for 2026.
December 01, 2025 03:27 PM
·
Despite the need for swift action, many ag lawmakers and industry groups argue that farm aid alone will likely not be sufficient to help farmers without improved trade relations with China.
December 01, 2025 12:21 PM
·
November 26, 2025 12:55 PM
November 26, 2025 11:09 AM
