The government has set a target to procure 2 lakh metric tonnes of Aman rice at Tk 31 per kg in the current season, reports UNB. Food Minister Qamrul Islam disclosed the decision yesterday while talking to reporters after a meeting of Food Planning and Monitoring Committee at the ministry. He said the Aman rice procurement will begin on December 15 and continue till March 15. Qamrul Islam said the government has decided to increase duty on rice import from the existing 10 percent. The minister said his ministry had earlier proposed to increase duty on rice import but it was delayed, as a result, Bangladeshi importers imported huge rice from India which made the market unstable. He said farmers will be affected if duty on rice import is not increased. The prices of flour and rice under Open Market Sale (OMS) programme will be decreased from the current prices of Tk 22 and 24 per kg respectively, he added.