Bangladesh bolsters fertilizer stock with international tenders

The Bangladesh government, in a continuous effort to ensure a steady supply of vital agricultural inputs, has been active in the global market, sourcing substantial quantities of rock phosphate to bolster its national stock. The state-owned Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) has been at the forefront of these endeavors, recently announcing an international tender, marked as BCIC tender # PUR-3.3176/2023-2024, for the importation of 25,000 metric tonnes of rock phosphate. Scheduled for early March 2024, this consignment will be delivered in bulk under the Cash Foreign Exchange protocol, arriving at the TSPCL Jetty, Chittagong Port. Interested suppliers have until 06 February 2024 to submit their bids.

In a broader context, as per the Economic Survey of Bangladesh, the BCIC is responsible for overseeing ten significant medium-sized enterprises, including four urea fertilizer factories, one DAP fertilizer factory, and one TSP fertilizer factory, among others. These facilities collectively produced substantial quantities of urea, TSP, and DAP fertilizer in the fiscal year up to February 2023, underlining the country’s ongoing commitment to maintaining agricultural productivity and food security.

In a parallel move to further strengthen the fertilizer supply chain, the Dhaka government last month approved a series of proposals for the BCIC to import a variety of fertilizers. This includes 30,000 metric tonnes of bulk granular urea fertilizer from Fertiglobe Distribution Ltd and another 30,000 metric tonnes from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) has been authorized to import significant quantities of Triple Super-Phosphate (TSP) and Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilizers from renowned suppliers in Morocco and Saudi Arabia. These strategic imports underscore the government’s proactive approach to securing a reliable and diversified supply of fertilizers, a critical component for the nation’s agricultural sector.