Govt procures 1.71 lakh tonnes Boro rice

The government has, so far, procured around 1.71 lakh tonnes of Boro rice during the current season contributing a lot towards food security amidst the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Faruque Hossain Patwary, Regional Controller of Food, said they have bought around 1.66 lakh tonnes of boiled rice and 4,609.21 tonnes of non-boiled sunned (Atap) rice till Wednesday.

As part of its ongoing rice procurement drive commenced on May 7 last, the government has purchased the food grain from all eight districts in Rajshahi division despite the adverse impact of the pandemic situation.

In addition to the rice procurement, the government has also purchased 39,001.6 tonnes of Boro paddy during the same period. Patwary said procurement drives of the newly harvested rice and paddy are going on in full swing everywhere in the division.

“We’re procuring boiled rice at Tk 40 per kilogram and non-boiled sunned rice at Tk 39 per kilogram, while paddy at Taka 27 per kilogram,” he said, detailing aspects of the procurement drive.

He said the government has set a target of procuring 2,23,644 tonnes of boiled rice and 14,530 tonnes of non-boiled sunned rice, while 1,07,346 tonnes of paddy in the division during the current season until August 16.

Contracts have been signed with 4,556 millers for collecting 2,25,241.95 tonnes of boiled rice, while 99 mills for 10,874.05 tonnes of non-boiled sunned rice. The enlisted millers have been supplying rice as per terms and conditions of the contract.

“We’ve also procured 38,740.65 tonnes of the wheat till June 30 last at Tk 28 per kilogram,” the regional food controller said.

Meanwhile, farmers have produced 35.63 lakh tonnes of Boro rice from 8.15 lakh hectares of land in all eight districts under Rajshahi division during the recent past harvesting season.

Currently, the grassroots farmers are happy after getting better yield and market price of their newly harvested rice.

Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer Atanu Sarker said the farmers are now delighted over their yield, adding: “Suitable climate conditions and government support to the farmers are being judged as the main reasons behind the good yield.”

Muhammad Moniruzzaman, a farmer of Bijoynagar village under Godagari upazila, is now happy with his satisfactory production of paddy. He has harvested 20 to 22 maunds of paddy from per bigha of land.