Mill owners are not interested in an agreement with the government

News Desk: The current market price is higher than the procurement price fixed by the government. As a result, millers do not want to buy these two products from the market and sell them to the government. In such a situation, the agreement between the two parties is not going as expected. Therefore, there are doubts about achieving the target of paddy and rice procurement in the current aman season (November 7 to February 28).

Because the government's target for paddy and rice procurement is 8 lakh tonnes. But till December 20, 11,311 tonnes of rice and 256 tonnes of wheat have been procured under the agreement. The Ministry of Food has informed the Prime Minister's Office in the form of a report about the non-cooperation of the millers including these issues. The report has also been sent to the Cabinet Secretary and the Finance Secretary.

This information has been found in the relevant sources. According to the report of the Ministry of Food, the local administration, including the departmental food officer, has been instructed to monitor the rising rice situation so that no one can destabilize the market through illegal stocks. However, considering the overall food situation, the government will take steps to import another 1 million tons of rice if necessary. MK Mujeri, former director general of BIDS and former chief economist at the central bank, said there was no rationale for raising rice prices if production data was accurate. Now the price is unusual. There are allegations মিল millers are controlling the market. They are doing it using their power. Now if rice is imported, the supply in the market will increase.

This will break Miller's syndicate. However, this is a temporary measure. The government needs to build a sustainable market system so that millers do not syndicate. This will benefit the farmers. Meanwhile, at a press conference at the Secretariat on Sunday, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder, while commenting on Miller's non-cooperation, said the government does not bow to anyone's threat. We did not push for Miller's contract. Let them take their threats. If necessary, we will buy more paddy from farmers. If needed, 15 to 20 lakh tons of rice will be purchased. Besides, it has been decided to import rice privately. However, care should be taken so that the farmers are not harmed. It has started buying paddy from farmers.

A special report on the food situation sent to the PM's office said the government had already reached an agreement with a supplier to import one lakh tonnes of rice to increase its reserves. Another 150,000 tonnes of rice will be imported in the first week of January. Besides, a negotiation meeting has already been held for import of Government to Government (G2G) rice from India. As per the decision of the meeting, an agreement has been signed with India to import 1.5 lakh tonnes of rice. Highlighting the latest status of paddy and rice procurement, the report said that the government has set a target of procuring 200,000 tonnes of wheat and 850,000 tonnes of rice in the current aman season.

There, 2 lakh tonnes of paddy will be procured directly from farmers at Tk 28 per kg, 6 lakh tonnes of boiled rice at Tk 38 per kg from rice mill owners and 50,000 tonnes of atap rice at Tk 38 per kg. But so far, 21.43 per cent of the contracted rice and 28.11 per cent of the contracted rice have been executed against the official procurement target. Food Secretary in the report. Moshammat Nazmanara Khanum said, ‘The price of rice in the market is a bit upward. In this situation, the local administration including the food department officials at the field level have been directed to intensify the monitoring so that no miller / trader / warehouse keeper can destabilize the price situation by stockpiling illegally.

At the same time, the National Department of Consumer Protection has been directed through the Ministry of Commerce to take necessary legal action against the sale of foodgrains at exorbitant prices. According to sources, the total food distribution target in the current fiscal year budget is 24 lakh 43 thousand 904 tons. The amount of rice is 18 lakh 49 thousand 404 tons and wheat is 5 lakh 94 thousand 500 tons. Till November 30, 11 lakh 24 thousand 372 tons of rice and wheat have been distributed. As a result, 13 lakh 19 thousand 542 tons of rice is required for distribution of food grains till the end of the financial year .

 Till next June. But till December 21, the government has a reserve of 8 lakh 52 thousand 736 tons. Of this, 5 lakh 44 thousand 751 tons of rice and 2 lakh 8 thousand 97 tons of wheat. According to the policy, the net demand for food will be 11 lakh 84 thousand 450 tons by next June. Of this, 6 lakh tonnes of rice and 2 lakh tonnes of wheat will be required, the report said. Meanwhile, the price of rice is not declining even in the season full of aman. Growing every day. The government has taken various initiatives to control prices.

At the same time, the tariff rate has been reduced by more than half to 25 percent to facilitate rice imports. 5 crore poor people have suffered due to this. Concerned parties say that the millers are raising the price of paddy and rice by creating an artificial crisis. Thick rice at Tk 32-33 is being sold at Tk 45. Meanwhile, Miniket and Nazirshail are being sold at Rs 62 to Rs 6 per kg in the retail market. BR28 rice has been sold for a maximum of 60 rupees. Among the coarse rice, golden variety rice is being sold at Rs 48-51 per kg.