Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumdar has acknowledged the financial strain on consumers due to the escalating cost of living.
He made these comments after a coordination meeting regarding the food situation at the Directorate of Food on Thursday (14 November), in response to questions from journalists.
Majumdar assured the public that the government is focused on ensuring food security. He highlighted that this year's Aman rice harvest has been bumper, with procurement set to begin on 17 November. A target of 5.5 lakh metric tonnes of Aman rice will be collected, alongside the import of 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of rice and wheat.
In a bid to ease consumer burdens, the price of Aman rice will increase by three taka per kilogram compared to last year, bringing the purchase price to 33 taka per kilogram.
He explained that once the Aman rice hits the market, the price of rice is expected to decrease.
The adviser stressed that the government is not willing to take any risks concerning food security.
To ensure the stability of the domestic rice market and increase supply, the government has already removed import duties on rice, a measure that is anticipated to impact pricing favourably.
Addressing concerns over rice and paddy procurement goals, Majumdar acknowledged that areas such as Feni, Comilla, and Chattogram had been affected by floods, damaging Aman crops.
Nonetheless, he reassured that the government will make every effort to achieve the set targets.
