Bangladesh has resumed large-scale purchases of Indian wheat after a gap of more than four years, as disruptions in the Black Sea region push up global wheat prices. 

Importers in the neighbouring country have booked more than 200,000 tonnes of Indian wheat since India eased export restrictions in late August, marking the first significant purchases since 2022.

Bangladesh imports more than 7 million tonnes of wheat annually and had earlier relied heavily on India for supplies. Before New Delhi restricted wheat exports in May 2022, India accounted for nearly 70% of Bangladesh’s wheat purchases. 

The restrictions forced Bangladeshi buyers to look towards suppliers such as Argentina, Canada, Russia and Ukraine, with around 40% of imports later coming from the Black Sea region.

The latest shift comes as attacks and disruptions affecting grain shipments from Russia and Ukraine have tightened supplies from one of the world’s key wheat-producing regions. Bangladesh is now paying more for supplies from distant markets. Australian wheat, for instance, has reportedly risen to more than $450 a tonne from below $380 earlier.

Indian wheat has become more competitive because of its lower prices and geographical advantage. Most of the newly booked shipments are expected to move by rail, with delivered prices estimated at $305 to $326 a tonne. Sri Lankan buyers have also recently purchased around 60,000 tonnes of Indian wheat at about $325 a tonne before shipping.

India’s return to the export market follows the government’s decision in August to remove wheat export restrictions amid strong domestic supplies. The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service expects India’s wheat exports to more than quadruple to around 2 million tonnes in the 2026-27 season, with other markets such as the UAE and Indonesia also emerging as potential buyers.

The development could strengthen India’s position in regional wheat trade while providing nearby import-dependent markets with an alternative to Black Sea supplies. 

For Bangladesh, however, rising global wheat prices remain a concern. Refined wheat flour prices in Dhaka have increased 17% over the past month, adding to pressure on food affordability and inflation.

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