Bangladesh has doubled its imports of U.S. soybeans in just two months, taking advantage of a global glut caused by China’s halt in purchases amid a tariff dispute with Washington.
Imports from the United States surged from 200,000 tonnes in June–July to 400,000 tonnes in August–September, a 100 percent increase, according to the U.S. Soybean Export Council.
In September alone, 87 percent of Bangladesh’s soybean imports came from the U.S., up from 46 percent in July, as Brazilian suppliers raised prices. China, once the biggest buyer of American soy, imposed a 20 percent retaliatory tariff on U.S. seeds, driving the price gap to as much as $40 per tonne.
Bangladeshi processors say U.S. soybeans are also higher quality, with the shift expected to lift domestic crushing 9.1 percent to 2.4 million tonnes in the 2025–26 marketing year.