Bangladesh discards an estimated 3.5 million tonnes of food every year, according to data from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which was presented in Parliament on Monday.
State Minister for Food Abdul Bari shared the figure while responding to a written question from a lawmaker from Cumilla-9, saying the estimate comes from the Food Waste Index Report 2024 published by UNEP.
He said the government continues to prioritise food security while working to reduce losses in the country’s food management system.
Explaining the process, the minister said food grains are collected, stored in government warehouses and silos, and distributed through various public programmes. He acknowledged that some level of damage and wastage occurs during handling and transport, but said the government has been gradually reducing these losses.
According to him, the construction of modern silos and improved storage facilities, along with better awareness among transport workers and stakeholders, has helped bring down wastage over time.
Presenting official figures, Abdul Bari said food grain losses under government management stood at 18,887 tonnes in the 2024–25 fiscal year, representing 0.28 percent of total handled stock. In the previous year, losses were higher at 21,329 tonnes, or 0.316 percent.
He said the trend shows a steady improvement in storage and distribution efficiency across government facilities.
The state minister also said the government and the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority are running awareness and training programmes aimed at reducing post-production losses and improving food handling practices.
Responding to a separate question in Parliament, he said the prices of rice and flour remain stable in the market. He informed lawmakers that the wholesale price of rice is Tk 44.95 per kilogram, while the retail price stands at Tk 47.34 per kilogram. Flour is selling at Tk 39.32 per kilogram wholesale and Tk 42.01 at the retail level.
Abdul Bari also confirmed that the government has planned large-scale imports of essential grains in the current fiscal year 2025–26, including 800,000 tonnes of wheat and 600,000 tonnes of rice to ensure supply stability in the domestic market.
