Boro paddy, rice procurement
Target fixed at 13 lakh tonnes
The government has decided to procure 13 lakh tonnes of rice and paddy during the Boro season this year beginning from May 5. The collection of grains, seven lakh tonnes of paddy and six lakh tonnes of rice at Tk 23 per kg and Tk 32 per kg respectively, will continue till August 31. The decision was taken at the food planning and monitoring committee meeting held at the food ministry yesterday. Among others, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Agricultural Minister Matia Chowdhury, Food Minister Qamrul Islam, State Minister for Food Nuruzzaman Ahmed and other committee members were present. We have decided to procure seven lakh tonnes of paddy and six lakh tonnes rice from this years Boro harvest. Prices of paddy has been fixed at Tk 23 per kg, while rice at Tk 32 per kg, Qamrul Islam told reporters after the meeting. The food minister said the government had procured 10 lakhs tones of rice in the last year at Tk 32 per kg, while one lakh tonnes paddy at Tk 22 per kg. The farmers have spent Tk 20.7 to produce one KG of paddy and Tk 29 for producing one KG of rice this year. The production cost was Tk 20 per kg for paddy last year while Tk 27.5 per kg for rice, Qamrul Islam said in reply to a query. He further said that the government has decided to procure more rice this year than the previous years in the interest of farmers. There are 10,74,431 tonnes of food currently stocked in the country. The procurement beginning on May 5 will continue until August 31, the food minister said in reply to a query.
