RAJSHAHI, May 5, 2018 (BSS)- Procurement of Boro rice has been started in the district with the main thrust of facilitating the farmers towards getting fair price of the newly harvested food grain.
According to the official sources, the government has taken decision of procuring 6,571 tonnes of rice in the district and the decision has made the farmers happy.
District Controller Office of Food has started the rice procurement with the main targets of ensuring value support to the farmers, keeping the market price of food grain to a reasonable rate, building food security stock and continuing the supply system of official food distribution.
Noruttam Kumar Pramanik, information officer of Food Controller Office, here told BSS the procurement drive will continue till August 31. Rice will be procured from only the license holding millers at Taka 38 per kilograms in the district.
Nurul Amin Siddiqui, a farmer of Paba upazila, said in previous years the procurement drive started after completing the harvest of Boro paddy. That’s why the farmers used to sell their paddy in fewer prices much before the start of procurement, he said.
“But this year, the growers will get fair price as the government took initiative of procuring rice at initial stage of harvesting,” Nurul Amin said adding that farmers of the region are very much hopeful with the government initiative.
Rafiqul Islam, president of District Rice Husking Mills Owners Association, said 240 mill owners have signed contracts with the government this season.
He said there will be no problem of supplying rice to the government at Taka 38 per kilogram according to the present market price.