Govt asks private sector to import 327,000 tons of rice within one month

The government has asked the private sector to import 327,000 tons of rice within one month, aiming to further control the price of the food grain in the retail market across Bangladesh.

Fifty-nine rice importers have already got government approval to import the aforesaid amount of rice. Of the total amount of rice, 247,000 tons will be boiled, while 80,000 tons will be non-boiled (Atap) rice, according to a food ministry order released on Tuesday.

"We have approved 59 companies to import 327,000 tons of boiled and non-boiled (Atap) rice, aiming to keep the price of rice in the retail market stable," M Habibur Rahman Hosaini, additional secretary (procurement and supply) of the Food Ministry, told BSS on Thursday.

The order must be executed immediately to cover the gap in the upcoming Aman harvest, which is likely to require a maximum of one and a half months, said the official.

The private importers must market the amounts of rice within December 10, as mentioned in the order.

The importers have to directly sell the imported rice in sacks in the market instead of repackaging these goods with the imported companies.

While talking to BSS, Rice Arotder Samity General Secretary Nirod Baran Saha said: "The government's decision on rice import will reduce the rice price further in the market. Even the import will have an impact on the price of the newly-harvested paddy, as the price of per kilogram of paddy is now Tk36 to Tk36.5."

The public sector accumulated food storage till Wednesday at 1,288,513 tons. Of those, 848,139 tons are rice, 439,564 tonnes wheat and the rest 1,245 tons are paddy.

Source: BSS