Dhaka, Dec 26 – The government should have to increase the storage capacity of cereals and other types of food grains up to 10 million tonnes to ensure fair price of rice by opening purchasing centres in area basis including establishment of adequate silos.Farmers have been deprived of fair price of their products as they spend Tk 20-22 to produce one kilogram of paddy but selling only at Tk 12-13 per kg.
Speakers came up with this information while addressing at a seminar on ‘fair price of paddy: problems and proposal’ held at the Jatiya Press Club yesterday.
According to directorate of food department, the government has now 21 lakh tonnes capacity but it can actually store 19.60 lakh tonnes of grain in public godowns across the country.
According to department of agricultural extension (DAE), at least 3.76 crore tonnes of paddy (Aus, Amon and Boro) are produced annually across the country.
However, it is constructing silos and godowns to increase the storage capacity to 27 lakh tonnes, sources said.
Poribesh Bachao Andolan (POBA) organized the seminar with its chairman Abu Naser Khan in the chair.
Among others, former lawmaker Chobi Biswas, POBA general secretary Abdus Sobhan, Krishak Samity advisor Jamal Haider Mukul, Haor Areas coordinator Dr Halim Dad Khan, agriculturist ABM Tauhidul Alam and Krishak Federation president ASM Badrul Alam also spoke at the seminar.
BARSIC’s director Syed Ali Biswas presented the keynote paper at the seminar.
“It is needed to ensure fair price of paddy as farmers have produced their products through hardworking by spending huge money. Farmers are the main architect in helping the nation to become a self-sufficient nation in food. But these farmers are deprived of getting fair prices to their products,” Abu Naser Khan said.
The poor farmers of the country are playing vital role to ensure food security, he said, adding that at least 40 per cent of the total manpower of the country are involved in agricultural sector which contribution 14.23 per cent to the country’s GDP.
“The farmers are losing their confidence in agricultural sector in the recent days for not getting fair price of their products. The government should decentralized the development works from cities to rural areas in order to stop the trend of the people shifting from rural areas to towns.”
He also suggested of the government to increase the storage capacity at least one crore tonnes from its existing capacity.
According to food ministry sources, the ministry has planned to set up 200 paddy silos for about Tk 6,000 crore in order to buy increased amounts of grains from growers with a view to protecting them from losses in case of good harvest.
The initiative comes after rising calls from various sections, including farmers, activists groups and analysts, to ensure fair prices for producers.
The highest food grain stocks at public warehouses stood at 17.08 lakh tonnes, sources said.
There are a total of 5 Silos, 13 Central Storage Depots (CSD) and 600 Local Supply Depots (LSD) situated at strategic locations all across the country. – Staff Reporter
