Bangladesh wastes 3.5m tonnes of food yearly: State Minister

Bangladesh wastes around 3.5 million tonnes of food every year, according to the Food Waste Index Report 2024 published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), State Minister for Food Abdul Bari told Parliament on Monday.

Responding to a written question from lawmaker Md Abul Kalam, Abdul Bari said the estimate reflects the country's overall food waste. He said the government continues to work to strengthen food security despite the scale of the problem.

“Food grains are procured and stored in government warehouses and silos for distribution through various public programmes. During this entire management process, a certain amount of food grain is damaged or wasted. However, the extent of such losses is gradually being reduced through the construction of modern silos and warehouses, as well as increased awareness among transporters and other stakeholders,” he told the House.

The minister said losses and wastage of food grains under government management have declined in recent years. According to official figures, total food grain losses stood at 18,887.347 tonnes in the 2024-25 fiscal year, equivalent to 0.28% of total stocks handled. In the previous fiscal year, losses amounted to 21,329.88 tonnes, or 0.316% of total stocks.

He said the figures demonstrate a notable reduction in food grain losses in government storage facilities compared with the previous year.

Abdul Bari added that the government is implementing a range of awareness programmes aimed at reducing food loss and wastage while ensuring food security and food safety. The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority is also carrying out initiatives to minimise post-production losses and improve food management practices.

Responding to a separate question from Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Masum Mustafa, the state minister said the rice and flour markets remain stable. He told Parliament that the wholesale price of rice is currently Tk44.95 per kilogram, while the retail price stands at Tk47.34 per kilogram. Flour is selling at Tk39.32 per kilogram in the wholesale market and Tk42.01 per kilogram at the retail level.

In response to a question from reserved-seat lawmaker Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, Abdul Bari said the government has undertaken a programme to import 800,000 tonnes of wheat and 600,000 tonnes of rice during the 2025-26 fiscal year.