Soy Connext 2026: Bangladesh's rising soy demand draws US exporters
12-member Bangladeshi delegation explores sourcing, sustainability and market opportunities as US soybean exports eye wider global market.
Bangladesh's rapidly growing demand for imported soybeans has emerged as a key opportunity for US soybean farmers and exporters, as the country's poultry, aquaculture and feed industries continue to expand.
The opportunity was prominently highlighted at the two-day Soy Connext 2026, the flagship international conference of the US Soybean Export Council (USSEC), which concluded in Chicago on Friday (7 August).
More than 850 participants from 67 countries, including around 400 international buyers and 12 representatives from Bangladesh's soybean value chain, joined the 6–7 August event. The Bangladeshi delegation included representatives from ACI Godrej, Delta Agro Industries, Asta Feed, Mahbub Agro, KGS Group, Akij Feed and Nahar Agro, among others.
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The delegation held a series of meetings with US soybean farmers, exporters and suppliers and visited soybean farms and related facilities, giving Bangladeshi businesses a firsthand look at US production, quality control, sustainability and supply-chain management.
For USSEC, Bangladesh is no longer a peripheral market in South Asia.
The US has rapidly emerged as Bangladesh's largest soybean supplier. In the first eight months of marketing year 2025/26, the US accounted for 84% of Bangladesh's soybean imports, up from 48% a year earlier, according to USDA data. Bangladesh produces only around 7% of its annual soybean requirement, leaving the country highly dependent on imports.
USSEC said Bangladesh had already purchased 1.13 million tonnes of US soybeans in MY2025/26 through 5 February 2026. The organisation has been working with Bangladesh's soybean and animal-protein industries for around three decades through technical training, trade missions and industry support.
'US Soy offers better quality'
Md Mohammad Sameer Haque, director of Delta Agro Industries, said the visit convinced him that US soybeans have several advantages over competing origins.
"The quality of US soy is better than others. Their research and sustainability practices are exceptional," he said.
"If you buy quality feed, you should choose US Soy," he added.
For Bangladeshi processors, the issue is not simply the availability of soybeans. Consistent quality, nutritional performance and reliable supply are increasingly important as the country's poultry and aquaculture industries expand.
USSEC is seeking to position its product on those attributes rather than compete only on commodity price.
The organisation says US Soy offers value through quality, reliability and sustainability, with sustainability claims supported by the US Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP).
That approach is particularly relevant for Bangladesh, where soybean meal is a major protein source for poultry, livestock and aquaculture feed.
Bangladesh on USSEC's strategic radar
Asked about USSEC's future plans for Bangladesh, CEO Jim Sutter said the organisation intends to continue supporting the country's growing poultry and aquaculture sectors through reliable soybean supplies and technical cooperation.
"Our goal is to continue supporting the industry in every way we can," Sutter said.
He pointed to USSEC's experience in Egypt as an example of how long-term engagement with a developing animal-protein industry can build a deeper market relationship.
For Bangladesh, such cooperation could go beyond soybean purchases to include feed formulation, animal nutrition, aquaculture management and sustainability.
This is significant because Bangladesh's soybean market is closely linked to the growth of poultry and fish farming. As domestic production of animal protein increases, demand for imported soybeans and soybean meal is likely to remain strong.
The country's own soybean production is concentrated largely in coastal areas and meets only a small portion of total demand, making international supply chains critical to the food and feed industries.
From soybean trade to knowledge transfer
USSEC's strategy in emerging markets is increasingly focused on developing the broader value chain rather than simply selling soybeans.
One example discussed at Soy Connext was the Soy Excellence Center (SEC), through which USSEC provides technical education and training to professionals and students in feed manufacturing, animal nutrition, poultry, aquaculture and sustainable agriculture.
The centres have reached nearly 20,000 students and professionals over six years, according to USSEC.
The approach could offer lessons for Bangladesh, where the expansion of poultry and aquaculture is creating demand not only for feed ingredients but also for skilled professionals, better feed formulation and improved farm management.
The annual Soy Excellence Top Achievers Recognition (STAR) Awards at Soy Connext also underscored USSEC's emphasis on human capital and technical knowledge.
Aquaculture creates new demand
Aquaculture was another major theme at Soy Connext, reflecting its growing importance as a source of global protein.
Soybean meal is widely used in aquafeed because of its availability, scalability and nutritional value. For Bangladesh, one of the world's major fish-producing countries, growth in aquaculture creates an important downstream market for soybean meal.
USSEC sees the sector as a long-term partner in meeting rising global demand for affordable protein.
The organisation's strategy is therefore increasingly built around three elements: supplying soybeans, transferring technical knowledge and developing sustainable value chains.
That could become increasingly relevant for Bangladesh as feed manufacturers and aquaculture producers seek to improve efficiency and productivity.
A new phase in Bangladesh-US soy trade
The growing relationship is also backed by significant commercial commitments.
In November 2025, leading Bangladeshi soybean processors and importers signed letters of intent with USSEC to purchase US soybeans and soybean meal worth $1.25 billion over one year. The signatories included Meghna Group of Industries, City Group, Delta Agrofood Industries, Mahbub Group and KGS Group.
USSEC later said the commitment was nearly 2.5 times Bangladesh's historical purchases of US Soy. In February 2026, the organisation also welcomed the US-Bangladesh reciprocal trade agreement, saying it could further improve market access for US Soy in Bangladesh.
The developments indicate that Bangladesh is becoming an increasingly strategic destination as US soybean exporters seek to broaden their international customer base.
Beyond commodity trade
The significance of Soy Connext 2026 for Bangladesh therefore extends beyond soybean purchasing.
The two-day programme brought Bangladeshi businesses face-to-face with farmers, exporters, researchers and feed-industry experts, allowing local companies to examine how the US soybean industry integrates production, logistics, processing, sustainability and marketing.
For Bangladeshi companies, the experience also offered an opportunity to explore whether the US model of combining agricultural production with research, sustainability and technical support can provide lessons for the country's own agro-processing industry.
Md Nazrul Islam, associate vice president of ACI Agrovet Private Ltd, said the Soy Connext experience offered Bangladeshi participants insights beyond soybean purchasing and business networking.
"We learned a lot beyond purchasing and networking. We got a clear understanding of how the global food chain and food-grain supply chain are evolving, and what challenges lie ahead," he said.
The visit also helped them assess how Bangladesh's feed industry should prepare for future changes, he said.
"We learned what we need to do in the future to strengthen and develop our feed sector," Islam added.
ATM Habib Ullah, chief executive officer of Akij Feed, said the conference focused on U.S. soybean production, carryover stocks, sales, basis, and futures markets. The discussions and market analysis provided valuable indications of future monthly soybean price trends.
"These insights can help soybean traders and business owners in Bangladesh better understand global market movements, anticipate price trends, and prepare their purchasing, inventory, and business strategies accordingly," he added.
