In a bid to stabilise the prices of food commodities, the government has decided to import 10 lakh tonnes of rice and wheat, said Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder.
Following a meeting of the Food Planning and Monitoring Committee on Wednesday (22 January) Majumder conveyed this decision, asserting that the volatility in rice prices has already begun to subside.
Presided over by Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, the meeting took place at the Cabinet Division in the secretariat.
Majumder stated, “The stock situation of rice and wheat in the market is satisfactory. Nevertheless, to prepare for the future, the government is prioritising the enhancement of food reserves. This measure will prevent traders from taking undue advantage.”
He further informed that the current reserves comprise 13 lakh metric tonnes, with 8.82 lakh metric tonnes of rice and 3.41 lakh metric tonnes of wheat.
Despite this, an additional 10 lakh tonnes of rice and wheat are being imported, including 3 lakh tonnes of wheat from Russia and India.
Rice will also be imported from Vietnam, Pakistan, and Myanmar.
Presently, the price of rice hovers around Tk60 per kilogram, with further imports contingent upon the upcoming Boro harvest.
Majumder claimed that the instability in rice prices is diminishing, with a gradual decline being observed.
Efforts will be made to reduce the price of coarse rice, catering to the middle-class population.
He indicated that the current prices could be further reduced.
