Diets are steadily becoming more varied. People are eating less rice and more vegetables and fruit, and consumption of bread, eggs and milk has also risen.
The findings come from the final report of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2022, released on Wednesday (27 December) at the BBS conference room in Agargaon in the capital.
Planning Minister MA Mannan joined the event virtually as chief guest and spoke by video message. Special guests were Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, chairman of the non-governmental organisation BRAC; Dr Shahnaz Arefin ndc, secretary of the Statistics and Informatics Division; and Dr Md Kawsar Ahmed, member of the General Economics Division. BBS Director General Mohammad Mizanur Rahman presided, and project director Mohiuddin Ahmed presented the main report.
Less rice, more vegetables and fruit
In 2022 average daily per-capita rice consumption was 328.9 grams, against 367.2 grams in 2016, 416 grams in 2010, 439.6 grams in 2005 and 458.5 grams in 2000. Consumption of vegetables and meat, meanwhile, has gradually increased.
The report also shows a person now eating 328.8 grams of rice a day, against 386.1 grams in 2016, as the source gives the figures. Daily vegetable intake is now 201.9 grams, up from 167.3 grams in 2016, and a person now eats 95 grams of fruit a day, against 35.8 grams in 2016. Demand for meat, fish, eggs, milk, potatoes, sugar and lentils has also risen.
Food insecurity higher in rural areas
According to HIES 2022, 21.11 per cent of people nationally faced moderate or severe food insecurity. In 2022 the rate was 22.36 per cent in rural areas and 18.37 per cent in urban areas. In 2022, 1.13 per cent of people in the country faced severe food insecurity.
Household spending has risen
The survey data show that monthly household spending has risen along with monthly income. In 2022 monthly household expenditure was Tk 31,500, against Tk 15,715 in 2016.
The pattern of household spending on food and non-food items has also changed over time, with non-food spending gradually rising. In 2022 food accounted for 45.8 per cent of spending and non-food items 54.2 per cent, against 47.7 per cent and 52.3 per cent respectively in 2016.
Average protein intake has also increased. In 2022 daily per-capita protein intake was 72.5 grams, against 63.8 grams in 2016, 66.26 grams in 2010, 62.52 grams in 2005 and 62.50 grams in 2000.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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