Rice price to decline further: Sadhan

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Thursday said the rice price would decline further as open market sale (OMS) and food-friendly programmes started across the country on September 1.

“Rice price has declined in the market by Tk 5-6 per kg and the price would go down further in upcoming days,” he told the reporters after visiting the OMS programme at Saraigachi Bazar in Porsha upazila of Naogaon.

“We are ready to ensure a fair price for the benefit of the growers,” he said, adding that the government is working to ensure a fair price for the farmers in Aman season. Under the food-friendly programme, Sadhan said, a total of 50 extreme poor families are getting 30kg of rice monthly at a cost of Tk 15 per kg.

Similarly, the food distribution under OMS is being operated in five days weekly across the country by some 2,370 dealers. An OMS dealer is now getting two tonnes of rice instead of one tonne as allotment stock from the government. Those who have TCB cards are allowed to purchase food from the OMS outlets.

Even any individual is entitled to buy at least five kg of rice twice a month from the OMS outlets by showing his/her national identity card (NID).