BD now holds highest-ever food stock, says minister

NAOGAON, Aug 30 (UNB): Bangladesh's current food stock is highest-ever in recent times, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said on Tuesday dismissing any possible food shortage in the coming days.
"In spite of the good stocks, efforts are on to increase import of rice to keep the price of the staple under control and ensure food safety," he told reporters at Naogaon Circuit House.
During the Boro season, some 1.95 million (19.50 lakh) tonnes of rice have been procured until Monday and the procurement drive will end on Wednesday. The Boro procurement target will be fulfilled by the end of this drive, he said.
The minister said there is no possibility of a shortage of any kind of food such as rice and wheat as the government has already decided to import wheat from Russia and Ukraine.
The government has increased the number of open market sale (OMS) dealers three times for mitigating public sufferings, he said adding the number of OMS centres has been raised from 813 to 2363.
Not only that, the government is going to start open market sale (OMS) of rice from September 01 as per the directives of the prime minister, he said.