United News of Bangladesh

Rice procurement activities across the country are facing disruptions following the imposition of a 0.5% source tax on domestic rice procurement, according to an official document. The document was placed in a recent meeting of Food Planning and Monitoring Committee (FPMC) held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair. As per the meeting document, the target for Boro Crop collection as paddy was 3.50 lakh metric tonnes while the collection as of July 15 was 3,76,942 tonnes, which means 108% achievement. Parboiled Rice collection target was 14.00 lakh metric tonnes where the achievement of the stipulated time was 9,60,802 tonnes, which means 68.3% of the target. The target for Atap Rice Was 35,000 metric tonnes while collection was 27,908 tonnes, which means 79.4% of the target. The document mentioned that some 26,942 MT of paddy procurement has been achieved ahead of schedule; which is a record so far. The Food Department has sent a proposal for the ex-post facto approval of procurement of 26,942 MT of paddy procurement in the current Boro season. In the case of rice procurement, the target of 67.6% parboiled rice and 78.2% parboiled rice has been achieved till July 15, 2025. Rice shortage unlikely this year due to steady supply, strong stocks “Rice procurement activities are being disrupted due to imposition of 0.5% source tax on domestic procurement of rice,” the document stated. Considering the potential demand for distribution of 31.23 lakh MT of rice in the food budget of the fiscal year 2025-26, it said that some more quantity of parboiled and parboiled rice can be procured from domestic sources in the ongoing Boro procurement 2025 season. “This will help in ensuring fair price of paddy and rice in the market. Besides, the quantity of rice imports will be reduced and foreign exchange will be saved,” it added. The Food Department has proposed to procure 50,000 MT of Boro parboiled rice and 15,000 MT of Boro parboiled rice in the current season, as per the document, In the current Boro procurement season 2025, permission may be given to procure 26,942 MT of paddy in addition to the target, the official document said adding that the procurement of 50,000 MT of Boro parboiled rice and 15,000 MT of parboiled rice in the current season might be considered. A top official of the food ministry mentioned that the target for rice collection is 14 lakh metric tonnes whereas some 9.50 lakh has been collected. High price of rice in Bangladesh bucks the trend of easing inflation “Hopefully we will be able to reach the target. We will stop the process to procure the rice in the middle of August,” he said. The Food Ministry official said source tax  is creating trouble for the field officials to procure rice. He mentioned that usually the farmers who used to sell rice and paddy to the government system do not have any income tax file or they do not know anything about the income tax, tax at source and others. “When they see their total amount reduced in the name of source tax, they become frustrated and express unwillingness to sell their rice,” the official said. When asked he said that till now there is no move from the ministry to the Finance Ministry or the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to withdraw this source tax.  

This year, the government will procure 17.5 lakh tonnes of Boro paddy and rice at Tk 36 and Tk 49, respectively, marking an increase of Tk 4 from the previous year. Of the total procurement, the government will procure 3.5 lakh tonnes of paddy and 14 lakh tonnes of rice, which will begin from April 24 and continue till August 31. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Food Planning and Monitoring Committee at the Secretariat on Wednesday with Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair. The committee decided to procure wheat at Tk 36, said Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumdar. The price of paddy and rice has been fixed by adding profit to the production cost given by the Ministry of Agriculture, he said. Harvesting of paddy has started in the haor areas and it will start in full swing from Pahela Baishakh. The agriculture adviser will go there to inaugurate the procurement process on April 24, he added. Bumper Boro paddy yield in Khulna’s saline land brings joy to farmers Last year, the government set a target to procure 5 lakh tonnes of Boro paddy, 11 lakh tonnes of boiled rice and one lakh tonnes of Atap rice at Tk 32, Tk 45 and Tk 44, respectively. Despite the continuous floods and heavy rains, the government has maintained a stable situation by importing fertiliser and rice and the target of paddy and rice procurement has been fulfilled, said the Finance adviser.    

The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Wednesday approved the import of 250,000 metric tonnes of rice from India and international suppliers.

Another consignment of rice being imported from India will reach the Mongla Port next month, a Food Department official said Wednesday.

Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque on Sunday said that aiming to eliminate the shortage and control prices in the rice markets, the government is going to purchase 5-6 lakh metric tonnes of rice.

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Wednesday said that the government would procure rice or paddy at rates previously announced by the government and the prices would not be hiked.

The government will procure some 11.5 lakh metric tonnes of rice (boiled and non-boiled) and eight lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the current Boro season.

Dhaka, Dec 27 (UNB) – The government will use a mobile application – billed as ‘Krishoker App’ – to collect food grain directly from farmers across the country, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said Friday.