The caretaker government is likely to extend the ongoing boro procurement drive due to the lower-than-expected collection of rice despite bumper harvest, said a senior food ministry official Sunday.
The issue of time extension is likely to be discussed at a meeting of the national food committee today (Monday), he said.
As of Saturday, less than 50 per cent of the procurement target was achieved. According to earlier schedule of boro procurement, the directorate of food will have to reach the target within next 27 days.
Food and disaster management adviser Shawkat Ali will preside over the meting at his office. Among others, finance and planning adviser Mirza Azizul Islam is expected to attend the meeting.
The directorate of food has so far colleted some 0.7 million tonnes of rice and paddy and is now facing an uphill task of procuring another 0.8 million tonnes within next 27 days, said the official.
It has been assigned to procure some 1.2 million tonne of rice and 0.3 million tonnes paddy under the current boro procurement drive scheduled to expire on August 31 next.
"It is imperative for the government to extend the deadline to make the boro procurement drive a success," he said.
The procurement price of per kg rice has been fixed at Tk 28 while paddy at Tk 18.
The country got a harvest of about 17 million tonnes of boro this year, up by at least two million tonne over that of the last year.
Food ministry officials attribute the slow progress in boro rice procurement to the reluctance on the part of the rice millers to sell rice to the government and the current rainy season.
Besides, officials said, large farmers this year have kept rice in their stocks with a view to making higher profit in the coming months, which, they said, has cast a negative impact on the procurement drive.
The government has already cancelled licences of more than 2000 rice millers for their alleged non-cooperation.
Today's meeting will also review an action plan prepared in line with the food policy 2006.
The action plan, which is likely to be approved by meeting, is related with the country's current policy to enhance food production against the growing demand for cereals.
The arrangement of the open market sales (OMS) during the holy month of Ramadan will also be discussed at the meeting.
The food ministry is scheduled to start country-wide OMS operation from August 15, at least two weeks before the Ramadan.
The price of per kg rice under the OMS is yet to be fixed.
