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The provision of a wide range of financing choices enhances farmers' ability to respond to changing circumstances in their agricultural activities and maintain optimal levels of production. However, several household- and farm-level determinants impact the availability of, and demand for, agricultural credit in rural households. Therefore, the current study explores the determinants of demand for, and supply of, agricultural credit. To do so, data at the farm level were gathered using interviews with a randomly selected sample of 360 respondents in the Mymensingh region of Bangladesh. Additionally, 30 years' worth of secondary data were obtained from various sources to investigate the determinants of agricultural credit supply. Data were analyzed using binary logistics and multiple linear regression. Findings reveal that farmers’ demand for agricultural credit is positively influenced by farming experience and farm size. Factors that significanly discourage farmers from taking credit include (a) an increase in income-generating family members, (b) perceived high interest rates of credit, and (c) negative perceptions regarding the application procedure. Factors that increase agricultural credit supply are (a) an increase in credit supply targets and (b) increased severity of natural disasters. In addition, an increase in non-performing loans does not hinder agricultural credit supply as the Bangladeshi government has placed special emphasis on protecting farmers from crop failures and other adverse situations in order to achieve food self-sufficiency in the country.

As a result of COVID-19 spread, Bangladesh implemented a range of measures including general holidays, lockdown, no lockdown, and strict lockdown which resulted in the dramatic ups and downs of the price level of the products. This study aimed to examine the influence of COVID-19 on poultry products (meat and eggs) in Bangladesh using Gazipur-an intensive poultry growing area – as a case study. Monthly market price data of poultry meat and eggs, and primary panel data from the same respondents using a random sampling technique through a structured questionnaire-based interview, Focus Group Discussion (FGD), and Key Informant Interview (KII) were collected. The results reveal that after the incidence of COVID-19, the price of poultry products at farmgate, wholesale and retail levels dropped drastically for the first three months (February to April 2020). Following that, the market price of farm (broiler) chicken and eggs increased by 40% and more than 30%, respectively. On the other hand, the price of local (deshi) chicken increased by 15%, which was already high on the market. However, in the early phase of COVID-19, many smallholder poultry farmers and hatchery owners were forced to shut down due to less demand/no demand of the product along with high feed cost and inadequate support from external sources. The government should provide financial support with low or no-interest rate to the smallholder growers in order to enhance their resilience against shocks like COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, etc.