Staff Reporter :
The government will procure rice directly from farmers from the next season, and will give 20 per cent incentive on rice export, said Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzak.
The minister said this at an inter-ministerial meeting on steps taken to ensure fair price of rice to the farmers. The meeting was held in the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council conference room.
Saying that the agricultural sector is making significant contribution to the country’s economy, Minister Abdur Razzak said that the farmers would be benefitted if the rice could be procured from them directly.
He called upon all for suggestion on how to implement the decision effectively.
“The farmers cultivate rice by dint of hard work and sacrifices. We cannot let it happen that the farmers are deprived of fair price for their output,” he said.
“Although the price of rice is low in the world market at the moment, still we have to go for rice export. If necessary, we would buy the rice from the farmers directly and then sell it at a low price to the country’s poor people,” the minister also said.
“The government is prepared to prevent any untoward situation over rice price
in the next season,” he said.
He stressed that the cost of production has to be lowered in order to make agriculture a profitable venture.
The government would provide the farmers with the necessary equipment for planting and harvesting rice, Minister Abdur Razzak added.
Speaking at the meeting, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said that 40 lakh tonnes of rice were imported during the 2017 flood in Haor areas, still remaining in the market and hence influenced the rice price in this year’s Boro season.
“The government is taking steps for permanent solution to save the farmers. A total of 162 food storehouses with capacity 7-8 lakh tonnes will be built across the country,” the minister said.
He also mentioned that the Ministry of Commerce had given approval for exporting 41,000 tonnes of rice.
The government will procure rice directly from farmers from the next season, and will give 20 per cent incentive on rice export, said Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzak.
The minister said this at an inter-ministerial meeting on steps taken to ensure fair price of rice to the farmers. The meeting was held in the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council conference room.
Saying that the agricultural sector is making significant contribution to the country’s economy, Minister Abdur Razzak said that the farmers would be benefitted if the rice could be procured from them directly.
He called upon all for suggestion on how to implement the decision effectively.
“The farmers cultivate rice by dint of hard work and sacrifices. We cannot let it happen that the farmers are deprived of fair price for their output,” he said.
“Although the price of rice is low in the world market at the moment, still we have to go for rice export. If necessary, we would buy the rice from the farmers directly and then sell it at a low price to the country’s poor people,” the minister also said.
“The government is prepared to prevent any untoward situation over rice price
in the next season,” he said.
He stressed that the cost of production has to be lowered in order to make agriculture a profitable venture.
The government would provide the farmers with the necessary equipment for planting and harvesting rice, Minister Abdur Razzak added.
Speaking at the meeting, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said that 40 lakh tonnes of rice were imported during the 2017 flood in Haor areas, still remaining in the market and hence influenced the rice price in this year’s Boro season.
“The government is taking steps for permanent solution to save the farmers. A total of 162 food storehouses with capacity 7-8 lakh tonnes will be built across the country,” the minister said.
He also mentioned that the Ministry of Commerce had given approval for exporting 41,000 tonnes of rice.
