Straw and Husk Bedding Processing Plant for Farm Bedding in Bangladesh

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Why Bangladesh?

Bangladesh has one of the largest livestock populations in South Asia and an immense rice straw problem:

The problem with current bedding materials in Bangladesh:

The opportunity: The client can produce bedding pellets for 12,000-15,000 BDT/ton ($100-125) — 40-50% cheaper than imported pellets.

Target customers:

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Raw Materials: Rice Straw and Rice Husk

The client processes two main raw materials from local rice farms:

Raw material preparation: The client built a 1,000m² sun drying yard to dry wet straw during the rainy season. Bangladesh’s dry season (November-March) is ideal for sun drying. The client also has covered storage (2,000m² raw material warehouse) to keep straw dry.

Source of straw: The client contracts with 500+ small farmers within 50km. Farmers deliver straw in bales after harvest. The client pays 2,000 BDT/ton ($16.70) — farmers are happy to get paid for something they used to have to dispose of.

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The Site and Building 

Building layout:

Production building layout (800m², one line):

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Equipment Configuration

The client chose a single biomass pellet production line with 2 straw rice husk pellet machines in parallel:

Equipment cost (FOB Qingdao): $265,000 USD

Why this configuration for straw bedding pellets (45,000 tons/year, 6 t/h):

1. Single hammer mill with 9 branch pipes. One hammer mill feeds all 8 pellet mills via 3 branch pipes — 1 pipe to the hammer mill inlet, 2 pipes to the 2 pellet mills. The system is enclosed to contain dust.

2. 2 pellet mills in parallel. Each mill produces 3t/h of straw bedding pellets. Combined capacity is 6-8 t/h. The client uses 2 mills for maximum capacity.

3. Modified die for bedding pellets. RICHI modified the dies for bedding pellets:

• Die hole diameter: 6 mm → produces 6.5-7mm bedding pellets
• Compression ratio: 4:1 (instead of 5.5:1 for fuel) → softer pellets
• Target length: 10-25 mm

4. Basic dust collection. The client has a single bag filter with 9 branch pipes collecting dust from all equipment. The fan is 15,000 m³/h.

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Process Flow

Step 0: Raw Material Drying (Sun Drying)

Straw is baled at 15-20% moisture. Bangladesh’s dry season (November-March) is ideal for sun drying.

Wet straw (moisture >20%) is spread on the 1,000m² sun drying yard for 1-3 days. The sun drying yard is a concrete pad (to prevent soil contamination). The client uses a front-end loader to turn the straw.

Target moisture after sun drying: 12-15% (acceptable for bedding pellets).

Step 1: Raw Material Receiving

Trucks deliver bales of straw (15-20% moisture) and bagged rice husks (10-12% moisture) to the raw material warehouse (2,000m²). The client stores material under cover to keep rain off.

Step 2: Grinding (Hammer Mill)

Bales are fed into the hammer mill.

Hammer mill parameters:

• Screen size: 6 mm
• Throughput: 6-8 t/h
• Output: <6mm straw powder

Step 3: Pelletizing (8 Mills)

Ground straw and husks are distributed to 2 ring die pellet machines via screw conveyors and the branch pipe system.

Pellet mill parameters (converted for bedding pellets):

Bedding pellet specifications (corrected for animal bedding):

Step 4: Cooling

Hot pellets (70-85°C) are cooled by 2 cooling fans mounted on the pellet mill discharge.

Cooling process: The pellets cool to ambient temperature (25-35°C in Gazipur) in 2-3 minutes as they travel on the belt conveyor.

Step 5: Bagging

Cooled pellets are packaged by the automatic bagging machine.

Packaging process:

• Bag sizes: 25kg (retail), 50kg (commercial), 1-ton bulk bags
• The client also sells bulk (30-ton truckloads) to large dairy farms

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Utilities and Consumption

Electricity breakdown (annual, 350 days, 20 hours/day = 7,000 hours):

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How RICHI Customized This Line for Bedding Pellets

Requirement 1: The client needed bedding pellets (soft, absorbent, low dust), not fuel pellets. The specifications are different.

RICHI solution: Recommended:

• Die hole diameter: 6mm (instead of 8mm for fuel)
• Compression ratio: 4:1 (instead of 5.5:1) — produces softer pellets
• Target length: 10-25mm (instead of 30-50mm for fuel)
• Operating temperature: 70-85°C (instead of 80-100°C)

Requirement 2: Straw is fibrous and can clog hammer mills. The client needed a hammer mill that can handle straw.

RICHI solution: Recommended a hammer mill with 6mm screen and rotor speed adjustment. The client runs the hammer mill at slower speed (2,600 RPM vs 2,900 RPM for wood) to avoid wrapping.

Requirement 3: The client’s staff (20 people) have no prior pellet experience. 

RICHI solution: Provided a 3-week on-site training program:

• Week 1: Basic safety, machine startup/shutdown, daily checks
• Week 2: Adjusting the hammer mill screen, changing pellet mill dies
• Week 3: Quality control (moisture, particle size, pellet durability)

Requirement 4: The client’s raw material has variable moisture (15-25%). Straw is often wet during the rainy season.

RICHI solution: The client built a 1,000m² sun drying yard. The drying yard is a concrete pad (no soil contamination). The client sun-dries wet straw for 1-3 days during the dry season. During the rainy season, the client only processes material that was dried during the dry season (stored in the warehouse).

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Product Specifications (Bedding Pellets)

The client’s bedding pellets meet Bangladesh standards for animal bedding (based on international best practices).

Pricing (as of August 2025):

Comparison with other bedding materials in Bangladesh:

The client’s product is priced between raw straw (cheaper but dusty) and imported pellets (much more expensive). Dairy farmers pay a premium for dust-free bedding — mastitis prevention saves thousands of BDT per cow.

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Market Outlook for Straw Bedding Pellets in Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s dairy and poultry sectors are growing. Key drivers:

1. Growing dairy sector. Bangladesh has 25+ million dairy cattle. Large-scale farms (500+ cows) are switching to pellet bedding (better absorbency, less labor, lower mastitis rates).

2. Poultry industry growth. Bangladesh produces 300+ million broilers annually. Poultry houses need dry, absorbent bedding. Straw pellets are ideal.

3. Field burning restrictions. The government is cracking down on field burning. Farmers face fines of 50,000-100,000 BDT ($420-830) for burning straw. The client’s collection system provides an alternative outlet.

4. Import substitution. Imported pellets are expensive (20,000-25,000 BDT/ton). The client’s product is 40-50% cheaper.

Competition: There are 5-10 small pellet producers in Bangladesh (1,000-5,000 tons/year). The client’s 45,000 tons/year makes them the largest.

Challenges the client is managing:

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Why a Straw and Husk Bedding Plant Makes Sense in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has abundant rice straw, a growing dairy sector, and government support for waste management. Here’s why you should consider this market:

Straw is cheap — or even free. The client pays 2,000 BDT/ton ($16.70) for straw. Farmers are happy to get paid for something they used to burn.

Rice husks are even cheaper (1,500 BDT/ton = $12.50). Rice mills produce husks as a byproduct and are happy to have them removed.

The market is underserved. There are only 5-10 small pellet producers. The client’s 45,000 tons/year gives them economies of scale.

The government is cracking down on field burning. Farmers need an alternative to burning straw. The client’s collection system provides that alternative.

If you’re considering a straw bedding pellet plant in Bangladesh (or any rice-producing country), RICHI can help. We’ve designed lines for straw, husks, stalks, and other crop residues. We understand the differences between bedding and fuel pellets (lower compression ratio, softer pellets, higher moisture tolerance) and can recommend the right equipment for your budget.

Contact us to discuss your project. Tell us about your raw material (type, moisture, volume), target customers (dairy, poultry, horses), site conditions, and budget. We’ll prepare a customized process flow, equipment list, and budget estimate — no obligation.

RICHI Machinery – Straw and husk bedding pellet lines from 0.2 t/h to 90 t/h. Shipping from Qingdao to Chattogram port: 14-18 days. Installation support available in Bangladesh within 2 weeks.