Govt to procure 18 lakh tonnes food grains during this Boro season
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DHAKA, April 26, 2021(BSS)–The government will procure at least 18 lakh tonnes food grains from the internal markets during the current Boro season.
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said this in a virtual press conference held this morning here today.
Of the food grains procurement, 11.50 lakh tonnes are Atap and parboiled rice and the rest 6.50 lakh tonnes paddy.
The boro paddy procurement drive will begin from April 28 and the rice from May 7. The procurement drive will continue till August 31.
Under the procurement drive, the food minister said a total of 10 lakh tonnes parboiled rice will be procured with a price of Taka 40 per kg and Taka 39 has been fixed for purchasing 1.50 lakh tonnes Atap rice. The government will procure paddy from the farmers with a price of Taka 27 per kg.
The purchase of paddy will start from tomorrow and the rice from May 7, he added.
The government intentionally set a price higher than last year s to benefit the farmers and to make sure the purchase price is higher than the farming costs.
Asked if this could make rice even more expensive, the minister said the safety net programme would be expanded to control the prices in such a scenario.
The Food Planning and Monitoring Committee (FPMC) on April 22 recommended the prices.
According to a food ministry report, the government had 4.62 lakh tonnes of food grains (rice and wheat) in stock on April 20. On April 22, the stock of rice was 3.05 lakh tonnes, ministry sources said.
Govt to buy 11.50 lakh mts Boro rice
The government has decided to procure 11.50 lakh metric tonnes of rice (boiled and non-boiled) and 6.50 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the ongoing Boro season.
Some 10 lakh metric tonnes of boiled rice will be procured at Tk 40 per kg, 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of non-boiled (atap) rice at Tk 39 per kg and 6.50 lakh metric tonnes of paddy at Tk 27 per kg.
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder came up with the information while talking to reporters at a virtual programme on Monday.
The procurement of boro paddy will start from April 28, rice from May 7 and will continue till August 31.
In the wake of depleting food stock and sluggish public procurement of foodgrains, the government has started providing cash instead of rice and wheat to implement its Test Relief and Food for Work programmes.
Those who carry out tasks such as repair of roads, drains and culverts under the schemes will get cash till the end of the current fiscal year, food ministry officials told this newspaper yesterday.
Every year, the government takes up rural infrastructure development schemes meant for creating temporary employment opportunities for the poor.
It allocates three to four lakh tonnes of rice and wheat for paying the workers under the programmes. In this year s budget, Tk 1,600 crore has been allocated for the purpose, said the ministry officials.