Govt to procure 0.13m-tonne fertiliser, 15,000 tonnes of sugar

The Advisers' Council on Government Purchase on Tuesday approved proposals to procure 0.13 million tonnes of fertiliser and 15,000 tonnes of sugar to meet the country's domestic demand.

Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, currently in Washington, presided over the meeting virtually via the Zoom platform.

As per the approval, the commerce ministry has been allowed to procure sugar from the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) under the direct purchase method. Each kilogram of sugar will cost Tk 115.58, bringing the total procurement cost to Tk 1.73 billion.

The meeting also approved the import of fertiliser from various international sources.

Under one approval, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) will import 40,000 tonnes of MOP fertiliser from the Canadian Commercial Corporation under a state-level agreement. Each tonne will cost US$356.25, with a total estimated cost of Tk 1.74 billion.

Another approval allows the BADC to import 30,000 tonnes of DAP fertiliser from OCP Nutricrops, Morocco, at a total cost of Tk 2.09 billion. Each tonne will cost $568.67.

The industries ministry has been authorised to import 30,000 tonnes of bulk granular urea fertiliser from SABIC Agri-Nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia, at $422.66 per tonne, with a total cost of Tk 1.55 billion.

Also, the ministry will import 30,000 tonnes of bagged granular urea fertiliser from Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company Limited (KAFCO). Each tonne will cost $390.75, bringing the total procurement cost to Tk 1.43 billion.

syful-islam@outlook.com