The government has approved the procurement of rice, sugar, lentil, and fertilizer to address domestic demands and stabilize markets. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Advisors Council Committee on Government Purchase (ACCGP), chaired by Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed. TCB to procure soybean oil, sugar, lentil to sell through OMS Rice Procurement: Imports from Myanmar and India Under proposals from the Commerce Ministry, the Food Directorate will import: * 100,000 metric tons (MT) of white rice from Myanmar through a government-to-government (G-to-G) contract. The Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) will supply the rice at a total cost of Tk 618 crore, with each MT priced at $515. * 50,000 MT of non-Basmati boiled rice through an international open tender. Indian supplier Mondol Stone Product Pvt will provide the rice at a total cost of Tk 280.62 crore, with each MT priced at $467.70. Sugar and Lentil Procurement by TCB The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), under the Commerce Ministry, will procure: * 5,000 MT of sugar through a local open tender. City Sugar Industries will supply the sugar at a cost of Tk 59.21 crore, with each kilogram priced at Tk 118.43. * 10,000 MT of lentils through a local open tender. Payel Traders will supply the lentils at a total cost of Tk 96.69 crore, with each kilogram priced at Tk 96.69. Fertilizer Imports by BCIC The Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), under the Industries Ministry, will import 60,000 MT of urea fertilizer, divided between two contracts: * 30,000 MT of bulk granular urea fertilizer from Saudi Arabia’s SABIC Agri-nutrients Company at a cost of Tk 123.23 crore, with each MT priced at $342.33. * 30,000 MT of bagged prilled urea fertilizer from Qatar Energy Marketing at a cost of Tk 133.08 crore, with each MT priced at $369.67.Govt to procure 51,973 MT paddy from Khulna amid bumper harvest Additionally, the BCIC will import 30,000 MT of rock phosphate through an international open tender. UAE-based Zentrade FZE will supply the product at a cost of Tk 82.62 crore, with each MT priced at $229.50. Govt to procure 55,000 MT soybean oil for OMS

Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will procure 1.10 crore litres of edible oil and 10,000 metric tons of lentil to sell through its open market sale (OMS) programme. Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) approved two separate proposals in this regard in a meeting on Thursday, presided over by Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmood Ali. Don’t listen to rumours involving commodity prices: PM  The Commerce Ministry placed the proposals on behalf of the TCB. According to proposals, the TCB will import 1.10 crore litres of Soybean oil through open tender from  City Edible Oil Ltd. at a total cost of Tk 174.66 crore with each litre at Tk 165.25. Jatka conservation week to begin March 11 The TCB will procure 10,000 metric tons of lentil at a cost of Tk 83.12 crore from Nabi Naba Food Limited with each kg at Tk 103.09.

State-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will procure 2.25 crore (22.5 million) litres of soybean oil and 15,000 metric tonnes of lentils from local private firms through direct procurement method (DPM) for its open market sale (OMS) programme  . Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) approved a number of separate proposals placed by the Commerce Ministry in this regard as the TCB, the state marketing agency under the ministry, will buy the commodities under different lots. Read:TIB’s report on TCB products not based on proper information: Commerce Minister As per the proposals, some 30,00,000 litres of soybean oil will be procured from Basundhara Multi Food Products Ltd at a cost of Tk 54.90 crore while 55,00,000 litres from City Edible Oil Ltd at Tk 101.75 crore, 85,00,000 litres from Meghna Edible Oil Refinery Limited at 156.63 crore, and 55,00,00 litres from Super Oil Refinery Ltd at a cost of Tk 101.75 crore. Each litre of soybean oil will cost between Tk 183 and Tk 185. All the quantities of soybean oil will be procured through direct procurement method sidelining the open tender procedure.  The TCB will procure 5,000 mts  of lentil each from Blue Sky Enterprises Dhaka, Masud & Brothers of Chattogram Masud & Brothers, Chattogram and Ruby Food Products Ltd., of Chattogram Each kg of lentil will cost Tk 110, the same price from all firms, while the entire 15,000 mts will cost Tk 165 crore.   The Cabinet body also approved two separate proposals of the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) under the Agriculture Ministry to procure a total of 90,000 metric tons of fertilizer. Read: TCB to procure 125 lakh litres soybean oil, 5000 kg lentil from 7 local suppliers Of the bulk agro-inputs, some 50,000 MT of Muriate of potash (MOP) fertiliser will be imported from Canadian Commercial Corporation at a cost of Tk 386.19 crore with each metric ton costing $812.62 while previous price was $914.    Some 40,000 mt of DAP fertilizer will be imported by BADC from OCP, SA of Morocco at cost of Tk 296.93 crore with each metric ton costing $781 against an earlier price of $914. Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs at a meeting approved in principle two separate proposals on rice import. As per a proposal, the Directorate General of Food will import 400,000 metric tons of rice through direct purchase method (DMP) from rice exporting countries. Under another proposal, the Directorate General of Food was allowed to curtail the 42 days obligation to 15 days for submission of tender proposal by suppliers to procure rice from the international market to facilitate emergency import of rice. 

Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque on Sunday urged the authorities concern to put emphasis on increasing lentil and oil production in the country.