Govt to import 13 lakh MT food grains

The government has a plan to import 13 lakh tonnes of food grains in the current fiscal year, Food and Disaster Management Minister Abdur Razzak informed parliament yesterday.
Responding to a question from BNP lawmaker Jafrul Islam Chowdhury (Chittagong), he said the government has a plan to import eight lakh tonnes of wheat and five lakh tonnes of rice in the fiscal 2008-09.
An agreement has already been signed to import three lakh tonnes of wheat, the minister said.
The government so far imported four lakh tonnes of rice from India under the government-to-government import programme, he added.
Replying to a supplementary of Jafrul Islam, the food minister said the food grains storage capacity in the government godowns across the country is 15 lakh tonnes while the current stock in the godowns is 12.67 lakh tonnes.
In response to a question of M Abdul Latif, he said the government has decided to procure 15 lakh tonnes of rice from internal sources.
The target of foodgrain production in the current fiscal year has been fixed at 343.32 lakh tonnes, the minister said in reply to a question from Sheikh Afil Uddin.
Of the total production target, 23.12 lakh tonnes of aus, 130.09 lakh tonnes Aman, 180.11 lakh tonnes boro and 10 lakh tonnes wheat, he said.
Replying to BNP lawmaker Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anny (Laxmipur), the
food minister said the government has enough stock of food grains to face any calamity in the country.