Boro procurement target likely to fail in Khulna division

KHULNA, Aug 30: Boro procurement drive is facing a setback in Khulna district of this season because of higher price of paddy and rice in the local markets than the rate fixed by the government.
It is expected that the Boro procurement will not be fulfilled in the current season though the Boro harvest has been bumper one in these areas due to the price difference in between government and market rate.  
Official sources said the government have set a target to procure 10,194 metric tonnes of them 1,525 tonnes paddy and 8, 669 tonnes rice from 9 upazilas including Khulna city of the district this season.
But, the Food Department procured only 7,148 metric tonnes rice which is only 75 percent during the last 45 days since the drive began on July 16, 2014.
The government has fixed the price of per kg paddy at Tk 20.00 and rice at Tk 31.00.  
Deputy Director of DAE Kazi Anisuzzaman said the farmers did not show interest in supplying paddy and rice to the procurement centres as they got higher price in the local market. He also expected to fulfil the target in this season.  
But the high officials of Food Department expected that they have enough time to procure the foodgrains.
Upazila-wise procured rice and paddy: the target in Khulna City area was fixed 3,029 tonnes but procured 2079 tonnes, in Dacop 130 tonnes and procured 128 tonnes, in Dumuria 1545 tonnes and procured 1,916 tonnes, in Paikgacha 222 tonnes and procured 140 tonnes, in Batiaghat 1198 tonnes and procured 808 tonnes, in Fultala 2362 tonnes and procured 1921 tonnes and Rupasha target 1193 tonnes and procured 156 tonnes, in Koyra, Digholia and Terokhada Upazila target 133, 135 and 147 tonnes but not procured from this Upazila during the period.