Rise in rice prices unlikely: Minister

In the wake of newspaper reports, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar on Sunday said there should not be any problem with rice price as happened in the case of onion.

“I’ve learned from newspapers that rice prices have gone up slightly in the last few days. However, our reserves are still high. Like onion prices, there shouldn’t be any problem with rice prices." he said.

Addressing a meeting with rice-mill owners at Khadiya Bhaban, the minister said, "There has been an unnecessary scandal over onion price… it shouldn’t happen to rice." 

He mentioned that OMS dealers refuse to buy rice from the government because of its lower price, reports UNB.

"OMS dealers cannot sell rice at the rate of Tk 30 per kg.  So, they don’t want to take it.  It doesn't mean we’ve bad quality rice in our warehouses," the minister added.

Sadhan Chandra went on to say, "We also monitor the market.  We’ve seen the price of fine rice has marked a rise bit." 

Mentioning that there will be no rice export, said the minister adding: "If we’ve to export it, then it’s the fine rice but it’s consumed by all. I, therefore, cannot approve it."