Govt starts procurement of paddy

The government started procurement of paddy directly from farmers at Tk 27 per kg from yesterday.

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder inaugurated the countrywide "Boro Collection-2021" programme through a video conference from Dhaka yesterday morning.

High officials of the administration of nine districts -- Netrakona and Kishoreganj of Dhaka division, Naogaon and Bogura of Rajshahi division, Dinajpur of Rangpur division and Sylhet Sadar, Habiganj, Moulvibazar and Sunamganj of Sylhet division -- joined him virtually.

Officials of the food departments, mill owners and farmers' representatives also attended the programme.

The food minister directed the officials and employees concern to be careful so that no farmers would be subject to harassment going to provide rice to the warehouses.

The minister gave instructions to the officials and staff to collect paddy and expedite food storage, maintaining health rules.

However, he also instructed not to compromise with the quality of the paddy and rice during the procurement.

In Bagerhat Sadar, Nani Gopal Hira, a farmer of Chitalmari upazila, provided 2.5 metric tonnes of paddy to the local storage of the food ministry.

"There is no food godown in Chitalmari upazila, so he had to bring his paddy to Bagerhat Sadar renting vehicle," he said.

Food Department will collect 6.50 lakh metric tonnes of paddy directly from farmers at Tk 27 per kg.

Most of the paddy will be collected by selecting farmers through a lottery with agricultural cards given to farmers while in some districts a portion of paddy will be collected using apps, food officials said.

The ministry will also procure 10 lakh metric tonnes of parboiled rice and 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of sunburn (Atap) at Tk 40 and Tk 39 per kg from millers during the current Boro season.

The ministry could not immediately say how much paddy they would be collecting on the first day of procurement.