Agricultural Machineries Industry in Bangladesh

Naemur Rahman
August 13, 2024

In Bangladesh, the usage of contemporary agricultural machinery began in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This occurred at the same time as the Green Revolution, an era of agricultural reform that embraced mechanization, enhanced irrigation techniques, and high-yielding crop varieties in an effort to boost food production and decrease poverty.

In 1973, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) was established, marking a significant step towards the use of contemporary agricultural machinery. Through the importation of machinery, the provision of subsidies, and the provision of loan facilities to farmers to enable the purchase of agricultural equipment, the BADC played a pivotal role in advancing mechanization.

In Bangladesh, the usage of contemporary agricultural machinery has steadily expanded over time, especially in the country’s principal agricultural regions. Through various programs, training initiatives, and technological breakthroughs, the government, agricultural institutions, and the business sector have played crucial roles in encouraging and supporting the adoption of machinery.

Although the agricultural sector has benefited greatly from the use of modern agricultural machineries, Bangladeshi farmers still face difficulties in implementing and utilizing this technology. There are differences in the degrees of mechanization since small-scale farmers, who make up a significant component of the agricultural workforce, frequently have difficulty obtaining and buying new technology.

Modern agricultural machinery in Bangladesh consists of a variety of tools and equipment to support farming operations. Tractors, power tillers, combine harvesters, rice transplanters, seeders and planters, sprayers, contemporary irrigation systems, threshers, chaff cutters, grain dryers, storage facilities, etc. are a few examples of the prevalent modern agricultural machinery utilized in the nation.

Market Overview

Bangladesh’s agricultural sector has been greatly impacted by the use of contemporary agricultural machinery. Tractors combine harvesters, and irrigation systems are examples of modern agricultural equipment that have increased farming production and efficiency. With the help of these devices, farmers can accomplish chores more rapidly and efficiently, boosting yields and using less labor. Consequently, this enhances the nation’s economic expansion and food security.

Plow work, sowing, harvesting, and irrigation may all be done more rapidly and with fewer humans when using technology. This might improve farmers’ income and standard of living by enabling them to devote more of their time and labor resources to other agricultural or non-agricultural endeavors. Modern agricultural gear frequently integrates cutting-edge technologies that support precise and accurate farming methods. Tractors equipped with GPS-based guidance systems, for instance, allow for accurate fertilization and planting, which lowers input waste and raises crop quality.

Let’s take an example of Bangladesh’s traditional agriculture method, It will cost Tk 2,000 (23.59 USD) to cultivate one bigha (33 decimals) of land with a plow. Using a power tiller will set you back Tk 1,500 (17.70 USD). Using a tractor will set you back Tk 600 (7.08 USD). For one bigha of land, paddy harvesting costs Tk 2,000. If a combine harvester is used for the harvest, the cost is Tk 500, or $5.90 USD. One bigha requires Tk 2,200 (25.95 USD) to grow one padda. Transplanting saves time and costs around Tk 500.

The traditional procedure costs a lot of money and takes a long time in all circumstances. However, the cost drops to between half and a fourth with the contemporary mechanical system.

The current state of Agricultural Mechanization in Bangladesh

In 2021–2022, agriculture made up 11.66% of the nation’s GDP, with 5.64% coming from horticulture and crops. The most recent provision labor force survey from 2022 indicates that 45.3% of people are working in agriculture overall, an increase of 4.7% from the previous survey. Furthermore, the majority of Bangladeshi farmers are from lower-class backgrounds, which means that enhancing the agricultural value chain is essential to promoting equitable growth.

The practice of incorporating contemporary machinery and technology into farming to boost output and lessen farmers’ susceptibility to manpower shortages and natural disasters is known as agri-mechanization. Bangladesh’s mechanization has happened in stages. The most mechanized operations (over 90%) are land preparation, irrigation, threshing, and pesticide application, according to a 2019 study. While mechanization rates for fertilizer application and weeding are higher but remain around 10%, they are less than 2% for planting and harvesting.