Under the programme, two lakh metric tonnes paddy, 6 lakh tonnes boiled and the rest 50,000 tonnes Atap rice will be procured, according to a PID handout.

The decision was taken in an online meeting of the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU) under the Ministry of Food on Wednesday.

Agriculture Minister Dr M Abdur Razzaque, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman and different ministry officials, among others, joined the online meeting.

The government has fixed the paddy procurement price at Tk 26 per kg, boiled rice  at Tk 37 per kg  and Atap rice at Tk 36 per kg, said Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder.

The paddy procurement drive will begin on November 7 while the rice procurement drive on November 15, he said.

The procurement will continue till February 28 in 2021, said the minister.

In order to ensure fair prices  of the farmers, the government procured paddy and rice every year during the Boro season but only rice was collected during the aman season.

Since last year, paddy has been procured along with rice in the aman season.

Last year, the government had procured six lakh tonnes paddy at a price of Taka 26 per kg, 3.38 lakh tonnes boiled rice at Taka 36 per kg and 43,401 tonnes Atap rice at Taka 35 per kg.

At present 10,81lakh metric tons of food grains are stored in government warehouses.

Also read: Boro farmers getting fair price: Agriculture Minister