First batch of Vietnam rice enters Bay

The first consignment of rice imported from Vietnam entered Bangladesh territory this morning.

MV Vissai VCT 05, carrying 20,000 tonnes of white rice, was moving towards the outer anchorage of Chittagong port last reported, our local staff correspondent reports.

Deputy secretary to the Ministry of Food, Kawsar Ahmed will receive the consignment after the ship docks, said MD Zahirul Islam, a food department official of Chittagong.

The government on June 14 decided to import 250,000 tonnes of rice at Tk 908.85 crore from Vietnam under a government-to-government agreement.

As per the decision, the ministry will import 50,000 tonnes of boiled rice at Tk 195.05 crore (US$470 per tonne) and 200,000 tonnes of white rice at Tk 713.80 crore (US$430 per tonne).