Boron for Crop Production in Bangladesh
Agriculture contributes nearly 20% of the national GDP of Bangladesh and employs more than 60% of the population. Three main crops—rice, jute, and tea—comprise most of the country’s exports, although Bangladeshi farmers produce sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, and a variety of fruits and vegetables for the domestic market.
Rice, the primary crop, is a staple of the Bangladeshi diet, although wheat is growing in importance. Because of Bangladesh's fertile soil and plentiful water supply, rice can be grown and harvested three times a year in many areas.
Farming in Bangladesh is heavily dependent on the weather. Frequent flooding, improper fertilizer distribution, and the continuous production of high-yield crops such as rice have reduced the availability of naturally occurring boron in the soil. That results in boron deficiency, which hurts crop yield and health.
To correct, farmers must use high-quality boron fertilizers for crop production.