Govt to buy 1.30 lakh tonnes of fertilizer, 15,000 tonnes of sugar

A government committee has recommended approving separate proposals for procuring some 1.30 lakh tonnes of fertilizer and 15,000 tonnes of sugar to meet the growing demands of the country.

The approvals came from the 41st meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase this year held on Tuesday, October 14, virtually with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair.

Cabinet Division officials said that following a proposal from the Ministry of Commerce, the government would procure 15,000 tonnes of sugarcane white sugar from the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) under the local Direct Procurement Method (DPM) with around Tk 173.37 crore with per kg sugar costing Tk 115.58.

In response to two separate proposals from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) would procure 40,000 tonnes of MOP fertilizer from Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) under state-level agreement under the 9th lot with around Tk 174.42 crore with per ton fertilizer costing $356.25, while the BADC would procure 30,000 tonnes of fertilizer from the OCP, NUTRICROPS, Morocco under state-level agreement with around Tk 208.81 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $568.67.

In response to two separate proposals from the Ministry of Industries, the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) would procure 30,000 tonnes of bulk granular urea fertilizer from SABIC-Agri-nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia under the 4th lot for the current fiscal year (FY26) with around Taka 155.45 crore with per ton fertilizer costing $422.66 while the BCIC will procure 30,000 metric tons of bagged granular urea fertilizer from KAFCO, Bangladesh under the 6th lot for the current fiscal year (FY26) with around Taka 143.48 crore with per ton fertilizer costing $390.75.

The day's purchase committee meeting also approved a cost variation proposal from the Ministry of Food.

Source: BSS