The government has set a target to procure  6.50 lakh metric tonnes (mts)  of of Boro paddy and 11 lakh mts of boiled rice and 0.50 lakh mts non-boiled rice in the  upcoming season in 2022.

The rice and paddy procurement will begin on April 28 and continue till August 31 this year.

The procurement price of Boro paddy has been fixed at Tk 27 per kg, boiled rice at Tk 40 per kg and Atap rice(non-boiled) at Tk 39.

The decision was taken at a virtual meeting of the Food Planning and Monitoring Committee with Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder in the chair on Thursday.

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About rice price hike, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said the prices of thin rice in the market have increased slightly as people’s food habit has changed while  that of coarse rice have declined.

“In last few weeks the coarse rice prices have declined as most of it is used for non-human consumption.  People becoming more dependent on thin rice that  caused hike in price,” he said .

Sadhan Chandra urged Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzque  for taking steps to boost the production of thin rice considering the price hike.

Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque  said an all-out effort has been taken to increase overall agricultural production.

He said the production of two newly invented varieties of Boro paddy - Bri-89 and Bri-92 - is being increased.

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“Production of these two varieties of paddy will be higher and rice will be thinner,” he added.

Apart from it, to increase food production cultivation of high yielding varieties of paddy is being increased, he said.