The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Wednesday approved the import of 250,000 metric tonnes of rice from India and international suppliers.

Of this, some 100,000MT will be imported from India through international quotation (tender) while the remaining 150,000MT will be imported under government-to-government (G2G) agreement. 

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the cabinet body’s virtual meeting. 

As per the proposal, placed by the Food Ministry, the Food Department will procure 50,000MT non-Bashmoti parboiled rice through international quotation at a cost of Tk 171.97 crore from ETC Agro Processing (India) Pvt Ltd. Another 50,000MT of Atap rice will be imported from International Pte Ltd,Singapore through a similar process at a cost of Tk 173.11 crore. 

Also read: Cabinet body okays imports of rice & fertilisers

Each metric ton of parboiled rice will cost $405.60 while each killogram (kg) will cost Tk 34.39. Each MT of Atap will cost $408.28 while each kg will cost Tk 34.62.

The Food Department will import 100,000MT non-Bashmoti parboiled rice and 50,000MT of Atap from National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd under the G2G agreement.

 This bulk import will cost Tk 521.94 crore while each metric ton of parboiled rice will cost $407 and each metric ton of Atap will cost $417.

Also read: Cabinet body okays procurement of 50,000 mts urea from Kafco for export to Nepal

The Cabinet body also approved import of 25,000MT of bulk granular urea fertiliser from Qater’s Muntajat at Tk 55.69 crore and another 25,000MT from UAE under state-level agreement at Tk 56.75 crore. Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will make the import.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Division’s proposal to import 1.285 million tonnes of refined petroleum oil from different countries during the January-June period at an approximate cost of Tk 4,384 crore received the nod of the committee.

Also read: Cabinet body nods overhead power cables procurement for rural electrification

The Cabinet body approved proposals of Chattagram Port Authority under the Shipping Ministry for procurement of for key gantry-cranes from Chinese Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company Ltd, at a cost of Tk 243.57 crore, six rubber tired gantry-cranes at Tk 70.83 crore from the same Chinese company and other five rubber gantry-cranes from Trans Gulf Port Cranes LLC, UAE at Tk 59.34 crore.