The government has taken special initiatives to provide assistance to farmers in the six districts of Netrokona, Kishoreganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Habiganj in the haor region affected by the sudden tidal surge in order to preserve and sell Boro paddy and rice.
The Food Ministry said that for this purpose, the previously scheduled date for rice procurement will be brought forward to May 15 and the paddy and rice procurement activities from farmers in the haor region will begin from May 3.
On the other hand, paddy procurement from farmers in other districts of the country will begin from May 3 and rice procurement from May 15, as per the pre-determined schedule.
The government will purchase 1.8 million metric tons of paddy and rice from the domestic market in the upcoming Boro season.
Of this, 500,000 metric tons of paddy, 1.2 million metric tons of parboiled rice and 100,000 metric tons of atap rice will be purchased. The procurement price of paddy has been fixed at 36 taka per kg, parboiled rice at 49 taka and atap rice at 48 taka per kg.Along with paddy rice, 50,000 metric tons of wheat will also be purchased at a price of Tk 36.
This procurement drive will continue till August 31.