Food procurement drive faces setback in Magura

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Our Correspondent MAGURA Feb 18: Rice procurement drive is facing setback in Magura. Price of rice has registered a sharp rise in the district over last 2 weeks. District food office sources said, they have started Boro rice procurement in the district from January 1 with a target of 1368 metric tonnes. A total of 1067 metric tonnes of rice have been procured till February 18. Boro rice is being sold in the local market at Tk 28 to 30 per kg as against Tk 26 per kg fixed in government procurement. Consequently mill owners are showing interest in selling rice in the local market. Requesting anonomity a mill owner of Magura town said, "We are being compelled to sell rice under government procurement leaving more profit in local market as food office authority has taken security money from us during the agreement. If we fail to give rice under procurement we shall lose our security money." Another rice mill owner of Magura town said requesting anonomity, "We are now giving rice under government procurement incurring losses." Though we are now facing losses we shall be able to make good the losses in the coming Aman procurement season. If we fail to give rice now under government procurement we shall be blacklisted and deprived from selling rice under coming Aman season.