FE Today Logo

Rice export to trigger food crisis in case of disaster: GM Quader

May 19, 2019 00:00:00


Jatiya Party (JP) acting Chairman and former commerce minister GM Quader warned on Saturday exporting surplus rice may lead to food crisis in case of any natural disaster, reports UNB.

"Farmers aren't getting fair prices as the government isn't procuring paddy directly from them," he said.

The JP leader came up with the remarks while speaking at a press conference at the party chief's Banani political office in the city.

Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque said on May 07 that the government was planning to export around 1.0 million tonnes of surplus Boro rice after meeting domestic demand.

Quader urged the government to reassess its decision, saying it will not be able to import rice even at high cost during emergency period.

"Exporting rice at this moment will be a very sensitive decision, no matter how much surplus of it the country has. We may have to pay a heavy price during any big disaster if we export rice now," he added.

Referring to media reports, Quader said farmers are not interested in harvesting Boro paddy since they are not getting fair prices.

He said that middlemen are getting benefited as the government is buying rice only from mill owners.

The former commerce minister suggested that the government should procure paddy directly from farmers and take steps to preserve it in private silos.


Share if you like