The government has started procuring 5,30,646 tonnes of Boro rice and 51,375 tonnes of paddy from the country’s northern region during this Boro season.The Department of Food (DF) has been procuring Boro rice and paddy since May 26 last and the process continues in full swing everywhere in the region and it will continue till September 30 next, high food officials told BSS today.
According to officials, the government has fixed a target of procuring 5,30,646 tonnes of Boro rice and 51,375 tonnes of paddy from 16 northern districts at the rates of Taka 18.50 per kg for paddy and Taka 29 per kg for rice during this season.
As per the fixed target, 2,69,874 tonnes of Boro rice and 23,980 tonnes of paddy will be procured from Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon and Dinajpur districts.
Besides, 2,60,772 tonnes of Boro rice and 27,392 tonnes of paddy will be procured from Bogra, Joypurhat, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi, Natore, Pabna and Sirajganj districts during the current Boro season.
The procurement drive began from May 26 last after completion of signing agreements between the DF and 12,922 rice mills owners as Boro harvest began little later this time, and so far completed 70 per cent harvest in the region.
Talking to BSS, Regional Controllers of Food Abdullah Al Mamun of Rajshahi Region and Parimal Chandra Sarkar of Rangpur Region said the millers have been supplying satisfactory quantity of Boro rice and paddy to the godowns every day.
According to the food officials, currently, there are stocks of 4,81,691 tonnes foodgrain in the food godowns of the region against
their full capacity of storing 5,75,600 tonnes food grains.
Talking to BSS, famers Echahaq Ali, Mubarak Hossain, Abdul Hannan and Shachindra Nath thanked the government for procuring Boor rice and paddy at higher rates through the government purchasing centres.
They called upon the government for procuring more paddies directly from farmers and supply those to the millers for crushing at
reasonable rates before supplying to the government godowns instead of purchasing huge rice from the millers.
They suggested for creating adequate food storage facilities through establishing more food godowns in the northern region to further
increase procurement target of food grains in future.
(BSS, Rangpur)
