The government's rice and paddy-procurement drive of the Aman season for the current financial year (FY 2021-22) started on Sunday, with a target to purchase 0.8 million tonnes of grain.
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder inaugurated the purchase virtually at a ceremony held at Niamatpur in Naogaon on Sunday.
The government has targeted to buy 0.3 million tonnes of paddy and 0.5 million tonnes of rice this Aman season.
The minister said farmers would get handsome prices for their crops as asking rates of both rice and paddy had been increased.
Rice will be purchased at Tk 40 a kg and paddy at Tk 27 a kg which was Tk 37 and Tk 26 a kg respectively last year.
The minister said the government was trying to raise food stocks to ensure better food security.
"We have been successful in the Boro procurement. Now offering good prices for crops will make it possible to achieve success also in this Aman season," he said.
Public warehouses now have a good stock of above 1.55 million tonnes of grain, of which rice comprises 1.34 million tonnes, he said.
Food Secretary Dr Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum presided over the inauguration ceremony while lawmaker Manoranjan Sheel Gopal, Director General of the Directorate General of Food Sheikh Muzibar Rahman, deputy commissioners of different districts, agricultural officers, food regulators, farmers' representatives, media representatives and rice mill owners' representatives took part in the virtual programme.
The Aman procurement drive will continue till February 2022. Each farmer in 251 upazilas, using the farmer's app, can sell a maximum of 3.0 tonnes of grain to the food warehouses showing their farmer's card, according to the food directorate.
