Sirajganj Correspondent //

Expecting to meet the target of paddy and rice procurement in the current season, Food Advisor Ali Imam Majumder said that food security is being built through paddy and rice procurement. So that even if the prices of food products increase in the open market, the prices can be kept stable by supplying this paddy and rice collected through various social programs including OMS program, VGD to the market.

He said these things to journalists after an exchange of views with the Deputy Commissioners and Food Officers of 8 districts of Rajshahi division and Kushtia district of Khulna division on achieving the target of the current Aman procurement 2024-2025 at the Sirajganj Circuit House conference room on Saturday (December 21) morning.

Ali Imam Majumder said, ‘If the government supplies paddy and rice at the price fixed during the current Aman procurement season, there is no scope for losses for farmers and millers. Because, the government high-level committee has fixed this price by adding some profit to the production cost. This price will be adjusted again in the next season.’

He said, ‘Rajshahi and Rangpur districts are the storehouses of food grains. Food grains are produced more in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions of Rangpur and Rajshahi. From here, the grains are sent to different parts of the country. Food officials have assured us that this time too, the grains will be collected more than the target. In the current season, the target of rice in 8 districts of Rajshahi division has been set at 92,729 metric tons, paddy at 53,359 metric tons and Atab rice at 13,950 metric tons. So far, 28,055 metric tons of rice and 206 metric tons of paddy have been obtained. So far, 30 percent of the target has been achieved from 8 districts.

The meeting, organized by the Sirajganj District Administration, was presided over by Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner Khandaker Azim Ahmed at the Circuit House. Also present were Director General of the Food Department Abdul Khalek, Rajshahi Divisional Regional Food Controller Main Uddin, Sirajganj District Food Controller Harun Or Rashid, among others.

Expressed their opinions.