After securing an impressive 3.38 million tonnes of foodgrain for public storage in the outgoing fiscal year (FY2024-25), the government has set a higher procurement target of 3.7 million tonnes for the upcoming fiscal year (FY2025-26).
To meet this target, the proposed allocation for foodgrain procurement-both domestic and international-has been raised to Tk 212 billion, up from Tk 166 billion in FY'25.
According to the Ministry of Food, the government plans to import 1.5 million tonnes of rice and wheat from global markets in FY'26 at an estimated cost of Tk 78 billion, up from 1.05 million tonnes worth Tk 58 billion in the outgoing year.
The breakdown includes 0.9 million tonnes of rice and 0.6 million tonnes of wheat from international sources.
Domestically, the ministry aims to procure 2.22 million tonnes of rice and 10,000 tonnes of wheat, a rise from 1.9 million tonnes procured in FY'25.
The distribution target for foodgrain under various government safety net and open market sale (OMS) programs has been set at 2.5 million tonnes for FY'26, compared to an actual delivery of 2.3 million tonnes in the revised FY'25 budget.
Commenting on the development, supply chain analyst and agricultural economist Mohammad Mozibal Hoque said the increased target is a timely and commendable step.
"Given the impacts of recent natural disasters and volatility in global commodity prices, boosting public food stocks is essential," he said.
"Also, with inflation continuing to rise, expanding social safety net programmes will be critical to provide subsidised rice and wheat to millions of newly vulnerable people," he said.
He further noted that the government's strong domestic procurement performance in FY'25 has allowed for a robust stockpile in public warehouses.
"There's a risk of prolonged flooding this year," he warned.
"Raising the procurement target is a wise move, but effective and timely implementation will be key to success."
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