Food grains import target set at 1.55m tonnes next fiscal

The government is set to fix food grains import target at 1.55 million tonnes at a cost of Tk 38.22 billion for the next fiscal year (2011-1012), a high official said. The Director (Accounts and Finance) of Directorate General of Food, Rafiqul Islam Mojumder, told the FE Monday that the cost might increase depending on demand and money value at the time of import. Out of 1.55 million tonnes 10,000 tonnes rice and 0.14 million tonnes wheat would be imported under foreign assistance at an estimated cost of Tk 360 million for rice and Tk 32.80 million for wheat, the official said. Rafiqul Islam Mojumder said 0.14 million tonnes of food grains (rice and wheat) will also be procured domestically at a cost of Tk 33.13 billion in the upcoming fiscal year. In the next fiscal (2011-2012), the government is expected to provide 0.1 million tonnes rice at Tk 0.47 million and 0.1 million tonnes wheat at Tk 0.64 million under Food For Work programme, the official said. Under vulnerable group feeding (VGF), vulnerable group development (VGD), test relief (TR), gratuitous relief (GR) programmes 0.47 million tonnes rice and 0.64 million tonnes wheat will be given across the country in the upcoming fiscal year, the official said. A total of 1.11millon tonnes of food grains to be supplied under the above programmes will cost Tk 33.11 billion, the official said. "The government will give subsidy of Tk 17.71 billion in this regard in fiscal 2011-2012 for fulfilling the target," Rafiqul Islam Mojumder added.