BSS, Rajshahi :
The government has, so far, procured around 1.62 lakh tonnes of Aman rice during the current procurement drive contributing a lot towards ensuring food security. As part of the nationwide ongoing Aman rice procurement drive, the government has procured the food grain from all eight districts in Rajshahi division.
Faruque Hossain Patwary, Regional Controller of Food, said they procured around 1,62,312.85 tonnes of boiled rice at the rate of Tk 40 per kilogram till Tuesday last.
He said the procurement drive of the newly harvested rice is going on in full-swing everywhere in the division that created a high hope of ensuring food security.
Faruque Patwary said the government has set a target of procuring 1,62,374 tonnes of boiled rice during the current drive. He said they will procure 2,904 tonnes of rice from the growers directly.
Contracts have been signed with 3,951 millers for collecting 1,62,373.73 tonnes of boiled rice.
They also procured 5,575.56 tonnes of paddy till the same day. Target has been set to procure 43,404 tonnes of paddy at Tk 27 per kilogram, he added.
Meanwhile, farmers have harvested around 24.13 lakh tonnes of Transplanted Aman rice from 7.79 lakh hectares of land as its harvesting process ended recently everywhere in Rajshahi division contributing a lot to ensure food security.
Faruque Patwary said they are selling rice and flour among the consumers at the subsidized rate of Taka 30 and Tk 18 respectively.
“We have sold 12,037.34 tonnes of rice and 10,900 tonnes of flour through the ppointed dealers so far in all eight districts of the division,” he added.
Another 32,891.18 tonnes of rice and 12,147.98 tonnes of flowers were also sold through the appointed dealers under open market sale programme to help the less-income groups of people to mitigate their hardship being caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
