WHEAT PRODUCTION IN BANGLADESH 

Introduction 

Wheat was a nontraditional crop in this country up to early seventies. No emphasis was given to introduce wheat in this area at that time. However, two Mexican varieties Sonora 64 and Penjamo 62 were first tested in this environment in 1965. The spectacular performance of these two varieties encouraged the wheat scientists to introduce wheat in this part. Since independence in 1971, Bangladesh became very much dependent on wheat imports during this period. A dietary change has also taken place among the people so that wheat was becoming a desired food supplement to rice. Maximum wheat production so far achieved was 1.9 million tons from 0.85 million hectares. However, after that wheat both wheat area and production became steadily started decreasing due to huge crop competition in winter and low price support for wheat. Currently about 1.0 million tons of wheat is being produced from 0.40 million ha against the national demand of 3.0-3.5 million ton. Bangladesh needs to import about 2.0-2.5 million ton wheat every year.

A successful production program

Research, Extension and BADC worked together in a government sponsored, well-organized wheat production program. Initially 4000-ton seeds of Sonalika and Kalyansona were imported from India in 1975 and distributed among the farmers. The wheat scientists gave the extension and BADC personnel training on wheat production and seed preservation technologies ahead of the wheat season. The production program was very much successful. Between 1970-71 and 1980-81, cropped area under wheat jumped from 0.126 million hectares to 0.591 million hectares and production increased from 0.11 million tons to 1.07 million tons hitting an impressive 24.93 percent annual growth rate (Fig. 1). Tremendous growth in production during this decade came exclusively from expansion of modern wheat varieties and improvement of the average yield, which rose from 0.87 t/ha to 1.84 t/ha at 10.30% rate per annum. Such a spectacular success was possible due to:

Introduction of high yielding varieties Dire need of an alternate crop to meet the domestic requirement for cereal grains Low-cost production practices made available to the farmers The joint effort of extension, research and BADC personnel A change in the dietary habit of the consumer people Establishment of small wheat crushing mill allover the country for making whole wheat flour Consumption of whole wheat flour in the form of home made flat bread (Chapati) by the

people in general which dose not need modern milling and baking facilities Development of low cost, on farm seed storage facilities Farmer-to farmer seed sale and seed exchange Training on wheat production and seed storage at farm level

Some natural comparative advantages of wheat over other Rabi crops also encouraged farmers to grow wheat. Among the advantage are:

Low water requirement Can also successfully be grown in residual soil moisture Less damage from disease and insects Easy to cultivate Strong consumer demand Easy utilization and marketing Echo-friendly. Reduce natural degradation of soils and environmental pollution. Saves under

ground water level Less deposition of toxic elements after irrigation and almost no insecticides/herbicides are

required for its cultivation Wheat products are easy to carry and preserve Wheat straw is used for thatching purpose, cottage industries, pulp for paper mills and feed

for cattle Low investment compare to boro rice cultivation

The initial momentum, however, could not be sustained long. The annual growth rate of wheat area slowed to 1.1% during 1981-82 to 1993-94 and production exhibiting considerable year-to-year fluctuation, which remained virtually stagnant during this period. Stagnation was associated with various production constraints. Many wheat farmers of the 1970s switched to boro rice, which fetched higher market price and for many farmers it provided a great degree of food security. Wheat cultivation was gradually pushed to non-irrigated and marginal land. In the mid 1990s there was again a new momentum in wheat production

Safiqur Rahman0058

Success of research 

Much of the credit for improvement wheat yields and finding a niche for wheat in farmers cropping pattern in the country obviously goes to research. Some of the successful issues are: 

+   Introduction of high yielding varieties

The initial rapid improvement in wheat production as mentioned above, has come mostly from modern varieties that exhibited constantly higher yield potential in the field. At the initial stage of wheat research, some Mexican varieties, specially, Sonora 64 and Kalyansona were successfully introduced in the country. Release of Sonalika in 1972 really made a breakthrough in wheat production. This short maturing variety became very much popular among the wheat growers and adapted well in different production environments and covered 80% of the wheat area in early 1980s. In 1983, Wheat Research Centre, BARI, released four more high yielding varieties Ananda, Kanchan, Barkat and Akbar. Among these, Kanchan adapted very widely, became very much popular and gradually replaced the area of Sonalika and became a predominant variety in the country in early 1990s. Two other high yielding varieties Aghrani and Protiva were recommended in 1987 and 1993, respectively. Advantages of these varieties are that they are more responsive to fertilizers and other crop management practices. Therefore, adoption of the high yielding varieties in almost 100 percent created an impact for increasing the productivity of wheat.

However, breeding efforts to develop high yielding varieties kept continued. Few more high yielding varieties i.e. BARI gom 19 (Sourav) and BARI gom 20 (Gourab) released in 1998, BARI gom 21 (Shatabdi) in 2000, BARI gom 22 (Sufi), BARI gom 23 (Bijoy), BARI gom 24 (Prodip) in 2005. Recently two varieties BARI gom 25 and BARI gom 26 have been released in 2010. All the varieties have good level of resistance to diseases and some degree of tolerance to high temperature yielding 4.0-5.0 ton/ha.. BARI gom 25 shows tolerance to salinity at seedling stage. The variety BARI gom 26 is early maturing and widely adapted heat tolerant variety. The varieties so far released were popularized among the farmers through establishing large scale on farm demonstration throughout the country soon after recommendation.

+        Generation of crop production technologies  

Development of new varieties is not the whole story improving wheat yields. Researchers have developed appropriate management technologies that contribute to increase the productivity by alleviating the yield constraining factors and maximum realization of varietal yield potential at the farm level. Among the technologies are:

Time of seeding Seed rate and seed treatment Fertilizer rate and application Time and number of irrigation Disease and pest control Seed production and storage Sustainability of wheat productivity in rice-wheat rotation, etc.

+        Dissemination of production technologies 

Success of the wheat production in the country is due to wide spread adoption of high yielding varieties, development of wheat production technologies and diffusion of these technologies to the farmers.

+        Seed production and storage

Seed is the key factor for expanding a new variety. The rapid improvement of wheat yield was possible due to the availability of seed of high yielding varieties. Every year breeder's seed of the commercial varieties was produced by Wheat Research Centre, BARI and supplied to BADC and other seed producing agencies. About 15-20 tons of breeder seed of the recommended varieties are produced and distributed each year to BADC and other seed producers. Training was given to the wheat growers on quality seed production and seed storage. Low cost and effective methods for farm level seed storage was identified to assure at least 80 per cent germination. The best containers for seed storage recommended were metallic drum, kerosene/ biscuit tin, and polythene bag covered with gunny bag and earthen pitcher with cool tar coating on the outside. Seed production and seed storage at farm created a great impact on wheat production. Now, about 80 per cent of the required seed (about 100,000 kg) is produced and stored at farm level. +        Small scale mechanization        

Introduction of power tiller operated seeder

In Bangladesh more than 80% of wheat is grown in rice-wheat rotation of which about 50% is planted late. Late planting causes a significant yield loss every season. Wheat is often late because of delayed harvesting of T.aman rice, longer time for seedbed preparation, unavailability of laborers, late monsoon etc. To reduce turn around time between harvesting of rice and seeding of wheat, a power tiller -operated seeder was introduced, which can perform ploughing, seeding and laddering simultaneously. With this machine, wheat can be sown in the same day of harvesting rice. It ensures optimum seeding in an appropriate depth, efficient use residual soil moisture and optimum plant establishment. This seeder created an impact recently in the field of wheat production.

+        International collaboration

International Maize and wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) has worked closely with wheat program and played a vital role in popularizing wheat cultivation in the country. CIMMYT has provided enormous elite wheat germplasm for selecting the promising ones for this environment. Many wheat scientists attended in-service training at CIMMYT in Wheat improvement, production agronomy, wheat quality, and station management, etc. Some BADC personnel were also trained on seed production by CIMMYT. Such training programs were initiated in 1969 and still counting. Visits of CIMMYT wheat scientists to the research station and farmers field and their expatriate helped Bangladesh to become a wheat growing country within shortest possible time. Besides CIMMYT collaboration, CIDA, Aus-AID, USAID and Ford foundation provided grants for facility improvement and manpower development of WRC, which can also be acknowledged.

Market segmentation and targeting of wheat

There are two market segments for the wheat flour. Companies select both the poor customers and the rich customers. Companies provide different quality for the different market segment. They have:

Rural segment

Urban segmen

Wheat and Marketing Mix

We know that in the marketing mix, there are four elements that make up the marketing mix. These are: Product Price Place Promotion

The marketing mix in case of wheat in Bangladesh will be discussed in detail in the following Phases starting with product.

ProductWheat is used to many ways in the way of consumption. In Bangladesh there are two types of wheatFound generally.

Packet flour Loose flour

Both are of good quality. Packet flour is generally used by the urban citizens and on the other hand, loose flour is used by the rural people. Many companies are providing the packet flour (atta) in the market. Its price is higher than the loose flour. Teer atta, Aftab atta are such examples.

Price

Although the market appears to be very competitive, there is a relatively wide range of differences in product prices due to differences in underlying quality and the strong influence of transportation cost.Differences between regular maida and “special” maida, for example, are due to lower extraction rates the special grade is typically flour produced at 65 percent extraction rate, compared to 72 percent for regular flour and to differences in wheat quality. The special maida is typically made with higher-quality imported wheat such as U.S. hard red winter, whereas the regular maida is made with domestic or Indian wheat.

Transportation costs can add Tk1–2 per kg or more to the price, depending on the distance involved. A mill in Chittagong reported that its wholesale price to customers from Dhaka was Tk1.75 less than what it was charging to its local customers — the difference being what Dhaka buyers demanded for sending trucks to Chittagong to pick up the flour.

Plastic bags add about Tk1 per kg to the wholesale price and about Tk1.50 per kg to the retail price of the various kinds of flour.

Low price for the loose atta/flour Comparatively higher price for packet atta/flour

Place

Wheat is found available everywhere in Bangladesh. It is used in making many tasty foods. So at present time its demand is getting higher and higher. Most of the groceries keep atta and flour in their shops. In bakery it is the most important element in producing their products.All the companies engaged in supplying flour use the modern transportation system. Try to reach the customers as soon as possible. Moreover they have a safety stock to meet any kind of shortage of product in rainy time.

Promotion

At present, no product can get the attention of the customers until it uses the promotional activities in the country. Keeping in mind that dogma, companies are using many promotional activities in the nationwide scale to attract the potential customers. Companies generally use media advertisement for their products. Teer atta can be an example of this.

Some of the newer mills with more sophisticated equipment are able to produce a higher-quality product. Some mills use higher-priced imported wheat to produce the higher quality of flour demanded by some bakeries. Because of these product distinctions, several of the larger mills advertise their flour.

To advertise almost certainly requires that the flour be packaged in plastic so that the consumer can be certain of its origin, otherwise advertising would not be effective. Advertising, in combination with packaging, serves to reinforce consumers’ perception that a particular brand is of higher quality. One milling company reported that its advertising costs are 8–9 percent of its total operating (non-grain) costs. This company is very proud of the quality of its equipment and is serious about maintaining a clean and hygienic mill — characteristics it emphasizes in its advertising. The company also reports that its products often retail at up to Tk4 per kg higher than those of its competitors.

Md.Riazul karim khan

0016

Wheat production in Bangladesh

Technological, Economical and political issues