United News of Bangladesh

This year, the government will procure 17.5 lakh tonnes of Boro paddy and rice at Tk 36 and Tk 49, respectively, marking an increase of Tk 4 from the previous year. Of the total procurement, the government will procure 3.5 lakh tonnes of paddy and 14 lakh tonnes of rice, which will begin from April 24 and continue till August 31. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Food Planning and Monitoring Committee at the Secretariat on Wednesday with Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair. The committee decided to procure wheat at Tk 36, said Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumdar. The price of paddy and rice has been fixed by adding profit to the production cost given by the Ministry of Agriculture, he said. Harvesting of paddy has started in the haor areas and it will start in full swing from Pahela Baishakh. The agriculture adviser will go there to inaugurate the procurement process on April 24, he added. Bumper Boro paddy yield in Khulna’s saline land brings joy to farmers Last year, the government set a target to procure 5 lakh tonnes of Boro paddy, 11 lakh tonnes of boiled rice and one lakh tonnes of Atap rice at Tk 32, Tk 45 and Tk 44, respectively. Despite the continuous floods and heavy rains, the government has maintained a stable situation by importing fertiliser and rice and the target of paddy and rice procurement has been fulfilled, said the Finance adviser.    

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

Another consignment of rice being imported from India will reach the Mongla Port next month, a Food Department official said Wednesday.

Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque on Sunday said that aiming to eliminate the shortage and control prices in the rice markets, the government is going to purchase 5-6 lakh metric tonnes of rice.

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Wednesday said that the government would procure rice or paddy at rates previously announced by the government and the prices would not be hiked.

The government will procure some 11.5 lakh metric tonnes of rice (boiled and non-boiled) and eight lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the current Boro season.

Dhaka, Dec 27 (UNB) – The government will use a mobile application – billed as ‘Krishoker App’ – to collect food grain directly from farmers across the country, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said Friday.