Bangladesh to import wheat from Russia, rice from India and Vietnam

The government will import 500,000 tonnes of wheat from Russia and 330,000 tonnes of rice from India and Vietnam.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase at a meeting approved such proposals, along with some other proposals on Wednesday.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting.

As per the proposals placed by the Ministry of Food, the bulk wheat will be procured from Russia at a total cost of Tk 2042.50 crore.

In dollar terms, a total of $215 million will be spent to procure the entire consignment from the Russian Federation under a government-to-government (G-to-G) contract.

Recently, the government at a high-level meeting discussed whether an alternative currency like the Ruble could be used for imports from Russia.

ALSO READ - Bangladesh set to import 500,000 tonnes of Russian wheat

But Additional Secretary of the Cabinet Division Md Abdul Barik, who briefed reporters about the cabinet body decision, informed that only the US dollar, no alternative currency, will be used in this purchase.

He also said that nothing was mentioned in the purchase proposal as to which Russian port will be used in importing the bulk wheat.

Each tonne of Russian wheat will cost $430 while per kg at Tk 40.85 considering the US dollar exchange rate at Tk 95.

Under other proposals, the Ministry of Food will import 100,000 tonnes of non-bashmoti parboiled rice from India at a total cost of Tk 417.50 crore.

The bulk import will be executed in two lots of which 70,000 tonnes will be imported through Chattogram port while 30,000 tonnes will be brought through the land port.

Each kg of rice through the port will cost Tk 42.13 while each kg through the land port will value Tk 40.70.

Each tonne of rice will cost $443.50.

Under another proposal, the ministry will import some 230,000 tonnes of non-bashmoti rice from Vietnam of which 200,000 tonnes will be non-bashmoti parboiled rice while the remaining is white rice (atap).

Each kg of parboiled rice will cost Tk 49.49 while white rice will cost Tk 46.93.

An Indian company will supply the bulk rice from Vietnam in which per tonne of parboiled rice costs $521 while per tonne of white rice will cost $494.

The purchase committee also approved proposals for imports of MOP and urea fertilisers.

As per a proposal of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) will import 100,000 tonnes of MOP fertiliser from Dubai-Falco General Trading under a state-to-state contract at a cost of Tk 931.49 crore.

Each tonne of MOP will cost $980 which was earlier imported at $1,100.

A total of 60,000 tonnes of urea fertiliser will be imported from Saudi-based SABIC Agri-nutrients Company in two equal lots.

Under the proposals, the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will import each lot of 30,000 tonnes at Tk 117.98 crore.

Each tonne of urea will cost $624.17 while previously it cost 534.33 per tonne.