Washington/Dhaka: A social media storm has erupted after the US announced export of coin to Bangladesh, with netizens pointing to the use of pig manure to grow the produce.
Pig manure is commonly used as a fertiliser in corn cultivation in the United States. The issue has gained traction and generated buzz because Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority country, where the use and consumption of pork-related products are considered haram or forbidden under Islamic law, as reported by India Today.
“US corn is on its way to Bangladesh this month. Known for its nutritious quality, it serves as a key ingredient in many foods, including staples like cornbread and breakfast cereals. Corn is also used to feed animals, helping to ensure a reliable supply of meat, dairy, and eggs,” the US embassy in Dhaka posted on X.
Social media users had a field day in mocking the post after pointing out that pig manure is used as fertiliser in US corn farming. Several users framed the issue sarcastically.
“For su***** up to the Don (Trump), Bangladesh gets American corn (boosted by pig poop manure), and Pakistan gets to send ‘peacekeeping force’ to Gaza,” a journalist tweeted.
Another posted: “Uncle Sam destroying Bangladesh. They will now eat pig-manured corn.”
“Now, the Islamists will eat the corn grown with pig faeces. Enjoy,” a third user said.
“Poor Bangladeshis are becoming the scapegoats of Trump’s malicious food and debt policies,” another netizens posted.
There has been no response to this from the US embassy so far.
A few years ago, Bangladesh authorities detected the presence of pork products in meat and bone meal (MBM) powder that was being imported for use as fish and animal feed. MBM is a powder made by drying and grinding inedible parts of slaughtered animals. Following the incident, Bangladesh banned the sale and import of MBM powder.
According to experts, corn requires significant fertilisation, and pig manure is often applied to cornfields to boost production. This year, the US had a bumper corn production and has been pushing for its exports to global markets like Bangladesh and India. It has been reported that US farmers are dumping stacks of corn by highways, to avoid storage costs.
India has, so far, resisted large-scale market access for American corn, citing the need to protect the livelihoods of small farmers. This is one of the stalling points to trade negotiations between India and the US.
However, India may allow limited imports only for ethanol output, Reuters has reported.
The decision by Bangladesh to import corn from the US comes amid trade tensions and a trade deficit of USD 6 billion.
The US initially imposed 37% tariffs on Bangladesh earlier this year, severely hitting textile and garment exports. Textiles account for about 80% of exports in Bangladesh.
This tariff was later revised to 20% after Muhammad Yunus, advisor to the interim government in Bangladesh, wrote to US president Donald Trump and pledged to substantially increase US exports to Bangladesh. It included American wheat, corn and soybeans.
Recently, Bangladesh approved the purchase of about 2,20,000 tonnes of US wheat under a government-to-government deal.
