GAIBANDHA: Boro paddy and rice procurement drive of Department of Food started in Palashbari upazila of the district on Monday amid much enthusiasm, reports BSS. A simple ceremony organized by upazila food department was held on the premises of a godown of Local Supply Depot at the upazila town with upazila food controller Ferdous M. Rafiqul Alam in the chair. Acting upazila chairman Kohinur Akter Shipon formally inaugurated the procurement drive at the godown by cutting a red tape as the chief guest while UNO Mazharul Islam was present as the special guest. The inaugural session was also addressed, among others, by upazila agriculture officer M. Azizul Islam, officer in charge of LSD Mofakkharul Islam, president of upazila rice mills owner association Dilip Chandra Saha and general secretary Enamul Haque Mokbul. Official sources said the government has set a target to purchase a total of 300 tonnes of paddy from the farmers directly and 2,330 tonnes of rice from the millers of the upazila during the current Boro season.