Bangladesh has floated a global tender to import 50,000 tonnes of wheat, but Indian shippers will not be able to tap it, given the specification and competitive prices from other origins.

On Tuesday (June 9), Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Food’s procurement division issued the tender for importing milling wheat. The tender, which opened on today (Wednesday), closes on June 24.

Per the tender, 60 per cent of the wheat consignment has to be delivered at the Chattogram Port and the rest at the Mongla Port. 

“But the catch is in the specifications. The minimum test weight is 76 kg/hectolitre with one per cent minimum docage,” said New Delhi-based exporter Rajesh Paharia Jain. 

Bids for Jordan tender

The minimum test weight for Indian wheat is 72-74 kg/hl, while the docage is over 2 per cent. Only if the wheat is sorted, Indians exporters can match it. 

In a tender floated by Jordan recently and sampling of analysis showed that the test weight was 78 kg/hl, with a higher protein content of 12.4 per cent. 

“Only Madhya Pradesh wheat can match these specifications,” said Jain. 

Exporter sources said Indian wheat costs $280 a tonne free-on-board (f.o.b.), and if a $30 a tonne freight charge is added, the cost and freight could be $310-315 a tonne. 

“In comparison, in the Jordan global wheat import tender that closed on Tuesday, no bid exceeded $280 a tonne,” said Jain.

Black Sea wheat prices

In the Jordan tender to be delivered during September-October, the lowest quote was by Olam at $276.50, followed by Ameropa at $277.87, Cargill at $279.90 and LDC at $280. ITC has also shipped to the UAE for a Singapore firm at $278.40 f.o.b.

“If you add freight ($30/tonne), liner expenses ($8), trade margin, besides 3 months for payment of 95 per cent against the letter of credit balance, India cannot match,” said the New Delhi exporter.

New wheat crop from the Black sea region is quoted at $233/238 a tonne f.o.b. If a freight charge of $40/tonne and the liner out expense is added, it will still be competitive since the f.o.b rate comprises the trade margin.

“The difference in prices is $25-30 a tonne, which is huge in global trade,” said Jain. 

Indian exports

On the other hand, Indian wheat was exported to the United Arab Emirates by ITC (31,000 tonnes) and Gurudeo (4,450) last month from Kandla port at $280 a tonne. 

India’s wheat production is estimated at a record 120.65 million tonnes (mt) this year, despite problems with the quality due to unseasonal weather. In addition, the government has mopped up 35 mt of wheat through procurement at minimum support prices. 

The record production estimate led to India resuming exports after three years. India is expected to export at least two mt of wheat, given the current developments in the global grains market, including geopolitical crisis and weather, with US production of the cereal estimated at a 57-year low. 

Last month, the US Department of Agriculture raised its outlook on Indian wheat exports to 2 mt from 1.75 mt on the heels of global wheat production for 2026-27 being pegged at 819.1 mt, down 24.8 mt from the record 2025-26 crop.

Earlier, India was expected to export below 3 lakh tonnes. However, fertilizer shortage in Australia, the US, and Canada, besides prolonged dry weather, has changed the global trade scenario. North America, particularly the US, has gone through a tough winter growing phase.

The developments post-Bangladesh tender will need to be watched out for, said trade sources. In the global market, wheat prices have gained 16 per cent this year and this should still continue to keep Indian hopes alive, they said.

Published on June 10, 2026