Staff Reporter :
The Rice mill owners are blamed for controlling the rice prices by stockpiling paddy and rice in their warehouses.
Breaking the syndicate, RAB in cooperation with the local administration has launched drive against the rice mills across the country and recovered huge amount of rice and paddy.
As per the agreement with the Directorate General of Food, many mill owners did not supply rice to the government’s warehouses. Rather, they have stock pilled paddy and rice. They are now trying to control the rice markets.
The government has fixed the rice price recently but the price is still on uptrend in the retail markets.
Under this circumstance, food administration along with law enforcing agencies has launched drive against the dishonest mill owners across the country.Conducting drives at Rubel Auto Rice Mill and Saha Auto Rice Mill in Dinajpur, a major hub of paddy and rice in the country, RAB recovered 3,350 tonnes of paddy.
The RAB also fined the two rice mill owners for stock piling paddy and rice illegally.
Food officials said the two mill owners have not supply a single mound rice and paddy to the government as per agreement. Instead, they have been storing such amount of paddy for the last five months to control the rice markets.
According to government rules, no mill owner can keep stocks for more than 30 days after purchasing paddy from the markets, they said.
The drive against the millers, who have stockpiled paddy and rice violating the rule, will continue, the officials said.
Traders alleged that the mill owners are increasing the price of rice every week even though there is sufficient stock in the country.
Sahidur Rahman Patwary, a leader of the Dinajpur Rice Mill Owners’ Association, said, “The vouchers of the price at which the traders are buying rice from the mill gate should be checked. Then the real truth will be uncovered.”
Retail prices of rice have continued to increase in Dhaka, rising by up to Tk 5 per kg in a week, as government has failed to rein in the market.
The government was lagged behind to achieve its target in procuring 2.1 million tonnes of Boro rice despite an extended deadline.
Millers were refusing to sell rice to the government, breaching their contracts, as the price offered by the government does not match the market price.
Under the circumstances, the government cannot reach its target to procure rice. Bangladesh has produced 20 million tonnes of Boro rice this year.
