The government has started procurement of a record quantity of 0.22 million tonnes of boiled Boro rice, 14,641 tonnes of 'Atap' rice and 23,434 tonnes of Boro paddy in Rangpur division this season, reports BSS.
Officials at Rangpur Regional Office of the Department of Food on Thursday told the news agency that the procurement drive beganon April 25 last and would continue till July 31 next in all eight districts of Rangpur division as elsewhere in the country.
Regional Controller of Food Mohammad Raihanul Kabir said the government is procuring record quantity of boiled Boro rice, 'Atap' rice and Boro paddy aiming at ensuring fair market price to common farmers.
"Under the programme, we have completed signing of agreements with 8,000 millers to get supply of 0.12 million tonnes of boiled Boro rice at Tk 36 per kg this season from Rangpur division," he said.
Besides, another 251 millers will supply 14,641 tonnes of 'Atap' Boro rice at Tk 35 per kg while the government will purchase Boro paddy directly from the farmers at Tk 26 per kg.
"In addition, we have been procuring 11,788 tonnes of wheat directly from farmers since April 1 last and the process will continue till June 30 next. We have already procured 500 tonnes of wheat by Wednesday from all over Rangpur division," he said.
"Adequate steps have been taken to maintain complete transparency in the Boro rice, paddy and wheat procurement processes to make the government's goal of ensuring fair price of the crop to common farmers successful," Raihan added.
District Food Controller for Rangpur Abdul Quader said 25,190 tonnes of boiled Boro rice, 726 tonnes of 'Atap' Boro rice and 3,998 tonnes of Boro paddy will be procured from farmers in all eight upazilas of the districts this season.
Regional Additional Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Mohammad Ali in the district town on Thursday said farmers have exceeded fixed Boro rice cultivation target this season in the region following various effective steps of the government.
The farmers have cultivated Boro rice on 0.51 million hectares of land, 19,695 hectares higher than the fixed target of bringing over 4.99-lakh hectares of land under Boro farming to produce 2.07 million tonnes of clean Boro rice this season in the region.