The government's Boro rice and paddy procurement drive has nearly reached its target more than a month before the August 31 deadline, boosted by strong participation from rice millers and record paddy purchases directly from farmers.
For the current season, the government set procurement targets of 0.5 million tonnes of paddy, 1.2 million tonnes of parboiled rice, 0.1 million tonnes of white (atap) rice and 50,000 tonnes of wheat.
Under the announced procurement prices, Boro paddy is being purchased at Tk 36 per kg, parboiled rice at Tk 49 per kg, white (atap) rice at Tk 48 per kg and wheat at Tk 36 per kg.
The procurement drive began on May 3 and will continue until August 31.
As of July 25, the Directorate General of Food (DGoF) had procured 1.0 million tonnes of parboiled rice and 75,000 tonnes of white (atap) rice.
An official at the Ministry of Food said paddy procurement had already reached a record 0.45 million tonnes despite flooding in parts of the country.
He said prevailing market prices for coarse rice and paddy remain significantly below the government's procurement prices.
The official added that rice millers have shown strong interest in supplying rice to government warehouses.
DGoF Director (Procurement) Md Maniruzzaman said the government had placed special emphasis on purchasing paddy directly from farmers.
He said the volume of paddy procured during the current Boro season is the highest on record.
"We have already achieved 87 per cent of the overall rice procurement target and expect to exceed it by the first week of August," he said.
Food Secretary Abu Taher Masud Rana said the ministry has been focusing on building strategic food reserves as a safeguard against possible flood-related disasters.
He said the government's food stock currently stands at 2.4 million tonnes, including 2.1 million tonnes of rice.
He added that the procurement target could be revised depending on future demand.
The DGoF also exceeded its procurement target during the previous Aman season.
In November last year, the government set a procurement target of 0.7 million tonnes, comprising 0.6 million tonnes of parboiled rice, 50,000 tonnes of white (atap) rice and 50,000 tonnes of paddy.
The procurement prices were fixed at Tk 50 per kg for parboiled rice, Tk 49 per kg for white (atap) rice and Tk 34 per kg for paddy-around 4 to 7 per cent higher than the previous season.
During the Aman procurement drive, the DGoF purchased 0.85 million tonnes of parboiled rice against the target of 0.6 million tonnes, 0.15 million tonnes of paddy against the target of 0.05 million tonnes, and 0.07 million tonnes of white (atap) rice against the target of 0.05 million tonnes.
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