Demand for rice stands at 23.5m tonnes

The BBS stated that over 90 percent of the world's rice is produced and consumed in Asia. Of the 26 major rice producing countries that account for 96 percent of global production, 16 are located in Asia. Bangladesh stands fourth in both areas after China, India and Indonesia.

According to Bangladesh Food-grain Digest, the food-grain consumption per person per day is 470 gm. Rice is the staple food for the people of Bangladesh like most of the Asian countries.

The ratio of rice and non-rice cereals like wheat, maize and other small grains in food grains intake is 90:10.

According to the population census 2001, present population of Bangladesh 137 million as a result the present demand of rice reached at 23.5 million.

In the last fiscal year, the country produced 26.19 million tonnes of rice the country has a food surplus of 2.69 million tonnes.

But the researchers found that the food intake of people has been increased with the improvement of their economic condition.