On February 13, 40,000 tons of sustainable soybeans certified by the COFCO International Responsible Agriculture Standard ready for shipment from Brazil to Bangladesh. The recipient of what’s all set to be COFCO International’s (CIL) first sale of sustainable soybeans to Bangladesh is Meghna Group of Industries (MGI), the country’s largest agri-business.

CIL has been committed to expanding its supply of sustainable agri-products to meet the growing global demand. This year, the company expects to further increase its portfolio of sustainable-certified South American soybeans and corn. Prior to the Bangladesh deal, CIL had provided sustainable soybeans to China, the EU, Argentina, and Thailand.

The COFCO International Responsible Agriculture Standard is the company’s independent sustainability certification programme for agri-products. Through measures such as product traceability, satellite imagery monitoring, on-site inspections and independent audits, it ensures that farming practices comply with legal, environmental, human rights requirements, with a particular focus on preventing deforestation and conversion.

The Standard, confirmed and approved by the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC, 2023), the Consumer Goods Forum’s (CGF, 2024), and the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA, 2025), is now globally recognized as good practices for certifying sustainable agricultural products.