Wednesday, 22 January, 2025
Food adviser Ali Imam Mazumder has said that there are no chances of increasing the price of rice; rather, the price will decline gradually due to combined efforts of the government.
"The overall prices of commodities will be within a tolerable level during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan as the government has set a target of importing 8 to 9 lakh metric tonnes of rice from different countries this year," the adviser said on Tuesday while briefing journalists after visiting unloading activities of imported rice from Myanmar at Chattogram port and also visiting the under-construction site of a new silo (storage facility of rice) at Patenga in the city.
He said the government has taken an elaborate programme to support 50 lakh working-class people from urban to rural areas. Under the programme, each of the beneficiaries will get 30 kgs of rice at the cost of Tk 15 per kg, and the special program will continue for two consecutive months.
The adviser said a discussion with Vietnam and an agreement with Pakistan to import required rice, besides searching, is on to procure from other sources.
"We are not going to mingle the trade with politics. We are importing 1.5 lakh tonnes of rice from Myanmar, which has already offered us to sell more. We are giving priority to importing rice from the nearest neighbouring countries that have shown interest in exporting their commodities," Mazumder said, adding that the low price of rice in neighbouring countries is one of the prime reasons behind choosing to import food grain from them.
Regarding farmers' reluctance to sell paddy and rice to the government due to higher prices in the open market, the food adviser said, adding, "The government has fixed an official price considering the farmer's production cost and profit. Fixing the price in advance will also affect the market price."
Director General of the Directorate of Food Md Abdul Khaleque, Director of SILO Department Md Mahbubur Rahman, Ctg Regional Controller of Food S M Kaiser Ali, SILO In-charge Rakibul Hasan, District Controller of Food Sumaiya Nazneen, among others, were present.
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Food adviser Ali Imam Mazumder has said that there are no chances of increasing the price of rice; rather, the price will decline gradually due to combined efforts of the government.
"The overall prices of commodities will be within a tolerable level during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan as the government has set a target of importing 8 to 9 lakh metric tonnes of rice from different countries this year," the adviser said on Tuesday while briefing journalists after visiting unloading activities of imported rice from Myanmar at Chattogram port and also visiting the under-construction site of a new silo (storage facility of rice) at Patenga in the city.
He said the government has taken an elaborate programme to support 50 lakh working-class people from urban to rural areas. Under the programme, each of the beneficiaries will get 30 kgs of rice at the cost of Tk 15 per kg, and the special program will continue for two consecutive months.
The adviser said a discussion with Vietnam and an agreement with Pakistan to import required rice, besides searching, is on to procure from other sources.
"We are not going to mingle the trade with politics. We are importing 1.5 lakh tonnes of rice from Myanmar, which has already offered us to sell more. We are giving priority to importing rice from the nearest neighbouring countries that have shown interest in exporting their commodities," Mazumder said, adding that the low price of rice in neighbouring countries is one of the prime reasons behind choosing to import food grain from them.
Regarding farmers' reluctance to sell paddy and rice to the government due to higher prices in the open market, the food adviser said, adding, "The government has fixed an official price considering the farmer's production cost and profit. Fixing the price in advance will also affect the market price."
Director General of the Directorate of Food Md Abdul Khaleque, Director of SILO Department Md Mahbubur Rahman, Ctg Regional Controller of Food S M Kaiser Ali, SILO In-charge Rakibul Hasan, District Controller of Food Sumaiya Nazneen, among others, were present.
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