The government will procure a total of 10 lakh metric tons (MTs) of food grains from the marginal farmers across the country during the upcoming Aman season.
Under the programme, 3.5 lakh MTs paddy, 5.5 lakh MTs boiled rice and the rest one lakh MTs Atap rice will be procured.
The decision was taken today at the Food Planning and Monitoring Committee (FPMC) meeting held at the cabinet division conference room of the Bangladesh Secretariat here.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Food Secretary Md Masudul Hasan said the government has fixed the paddy procurement price at Tk 33 per kg, boiled rice at Tk 47 per kg and Atap rice at Tk 46 per kg.
The paddy and boiled rice procurement drive will begin on November 17 and will continue till February 28 in 2025, he added.
Besides, he informed that the Atap rice procurement drive will begin on November 17 and will continue till March 15, 2025.
Farmers in the country have started harvesting their early variety Aman paddy with a hope of bumper production. After cutting the paddy, the farmers are taking preparation for cultivating potatoes. Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) of Panchagarh office sources said 81,000 hectares of land have been brought under Aman cultivation this season with a production target of 3,22 ,000 metric tonnes of food grains.
The department also said the weather condition was conducive, no shortage of fertilizers, no attacks of pest were the main reasons behind the bumper production of Aman paddy.
DAE has imparted training about modern technology to the farmers to boost bumper production. Farmer Sunil Kumar of sadar upazila said he had cultivated Aman on three bighas of land and got 60 maund of paddy. Per maund paddy is being sold at Taka 1100 in the local market, he added.
