Govt to procure additional 2 lakh tonnes paddy

The government will procure an additional 2 lakh metric tonnes of Boro paddy and rice from the ongoing harvest than the target set in this current season.

Finance division on Monday disbursed Tk 720 crore to buy paddy and rice from the farmers instead of purchasing from middlemen and millers.

On Sunday, the Food Ministry sent a letter to the Director General of the Food Directorate approving the procurement of the added quantity.

The government had previously agreed to purchase eight lakh metric tonnes of paddy at Tk 26 per kilogram, ten lakh metric tonnes of boiled rice at Tk 36 per kilogram and 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of sunned rice (Atap) at Tk 35 per kilogram.

Paddy procurement began from April 26 and rice from May 7 this year.

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