Bangladesh has hiked the import duty on rice to 28% from 2% to support domestic farmers amid a likely bumper domestic crop. Last year, the country had slashed the import duty on rice to 2% from 28% to curb the rise in domestic prices and enhance supplies. Bangladesh’s rice output in 2018-19 is seen at 34.7 mln tn. Production in 2017-18 fell to 32.7 mln tn from 34.6 mln tn in the preceding year as flash floods in January 2017 damaged the standing crop. The floods also washed away rice inventories, leading to a decline in supply.