The government has announced plans to procure 1.75 million tonnes of paddy and rice from the domestic market during the Boro season, with a specific target of purchasing 3.5 million tonnes of paddy and 1.4 million tonnes of parboiled rice.
To support farmers, the procurement price for paddy has been set at Tk 36 per kg, while parboiled rice will be purchased at Tk 49 per kg—a Tk 4 increase per kg compared to last year’s rates.
This decision was made during a meeting of the Food Planning and Procurement Committee, chaired by Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, held at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Wednesday (April 9).
The procurement drive is scheduled to begin on April 24 and will continue until August 31, covering all regions of the country.
According to Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder, who briefed reporters after the meeting, the government aims to begin the procurement process in the haor regions, where paddy harvesting has already begun.
Full-scale harvesting will commence from the first day of Baishakh (mid-April), with Agriculture Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury set to inaugurate the Harvest Festival in Sunamganj on Thursday (April 10).
The procurement drive will start slightly later in North Bengal, where harvesting typically begins a few weeks after the haor regions. This staggered approach ensures timely collection across different agricultural zones.
In addition to paddy and rice, the committee decided to purchase wheat at a rate of Tk 36 per kg. However, no specific target has been set for wheat procurement. Instead, the government will collect whatever quantity is available in the market.
Ali Imam Majumder explained that the procurement prices for paddy and rice were determined by adding a reasonable profit margin to the production cost calculated by the Ministry of Agriculture. This ensures fair compensation for farmers while maintaining affordability for consumers.
During the previous Boro season, the government had set a target of procuring 1.7 million tonnes of paddy and rice, including 5 lakh tonnes of paddy, 1.1 lakh tonnes of parboiled rice, and 1 lakh tonnes of coarse rice.
Farmers were paid Tk 32 per kg for paddy, Tk 45 per kg for parboiled rice, and Tk 44 per kg for coarse rice. Despite challenges such as floods and heavy rains, the government successfully met its procurement targets through strategic imports of fertilizers and rice.
The Agriculture Adviser expressed confidence that this year’s procurement targets could exceed expectations. "We hope that the target will be higher than what has been set," he said, citing favourable field conditions and robust crop yields.
Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed emphasised the government’s commitment to maintaining food security despite adverse weather conditions affecting crops. "Despite continuous damage to crops due to floods and heavy rains, we have maintained a fairly stable situation by importing fertiliser and rice," he said.
By increasing procurement prices and expanding the scope of purchases, the government aims to incentivise farmers, reduce post-harvest losses, and ensure adequate stockpiles of essential grains for the nation.