United News of Bangladesh

The government on Wednesday approved two proposals for the import of 60,000 metric tonnes of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) fertiliser from Morocco involving Tk 522.94 crore. The approval at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) held at cabinet division meeting room with Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair. It approved the import of 30,000 metric tonnes (±10 per cent) of TSP fertiliser under the agreement signed between Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and OCP NUTRICROPS of Morocco. The procurement will cost Tk 254.39 crore, with the fertiliser priced at US$688 per metric tonne. In a separate proposal, the committee approved import of another 30,000 metric tonnes (±10 per cent) of TSP fertiliser. The second consignment will cost Tk 268.56 crore, with the fertiliser priced at US$726.33 per metric tonne. In both cases, Morocco-based OCP NUTRICROPS was the recommended supplier. The two imports are aimed at ensuring an uninterrupted supply of fertiliser for the country’s agricultural sector and meeting domestic demand during the upcoming cultivation seasons. The  committee also approved a proposal to procure 10,000 tonnes of lentils through an open tender process aimed at strengthening the country’s food stocks. Under the proposal placed by the Ministry of Commerce, 10,000 metric tonnes of lentils, packed in 50-kilogram bags, will be procured at a total cost of Tk 82.54 crore. The purchase price has been fixed at Tk 82.54 per kilogram. The procurement is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to maintain adequate food reserves and ensure market stability through timely imports and purchases of essential commodities.