The government has set a target to procure 5 lakh metric tons (mts) of boiled rice and 3 lakh mts of paddy from the local markets during the current Aman season.
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder disclosed it to reporters after a meeting of the Food Planning and Monitoring Committee at the Secretariat.
The procurement price of boiled rice has been fixed at Tk 42 per kg and Aman paddy at Tk 28 per kg, he said.
Sadhan Chandra Majumder said procurement of paddy and rice would begin on November 10 officially. Paddy will be purchased from November 10 once the paddy harvest ends.
At the same meeting, Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque said the government will have to provide subsidies of Tk 46,000 crore for fertilisers until June next year.
"However, whatever the amount of money is, no risk will be taken to ensure availability of fertilisers. There will be no shortage of fertilisers in the country," he said.
The Agriculture Minister further said there is no scarcity of food at anywhere in the country right now. Prices of coarse rice are high, but the market is stable. Moreover, the country is facing impact after the import of wheat due to unusual prices in international markets.
