Paddy procurement drive fails in Sylhet region

SYLHET, July 5: The ongoing Boro paddy procurement drive in Sylhet region seemed to have failed due to low price and lack of interest of farmers.  For the failure, the officials blamed shortage of moisture-free and quality paddy supply by the farmers.
However, the boiled rice procurement programme has been a successful one, officials informed today (Sunday). Listed millers supplied the rice.
In total, only 1312 metric tonnes of paddy had so far been procured in the region against the target of 8912 tonnes. It includes, 94 tonnes in Sylhet against the target of 1476 tonnes, 193 tonnes in Habiganj against target of 2151 tonnes, 298 tonnes in Moulvibazar against 2151 tonnes and 727 tonnes against 1476 tonnes target.
However, the regional controller of food, Sylhet Md. Anisur Rahman told this correspondent Sunday it is hard to procure the quality paddy from farmers' level. Moreover, most of the farmers in the region are not interested in supplying moisture-free paddy to the government godowns, he added, yet we have time to procure paddy till August 31. it began in May 31.
But, the rice procurement has been a successful one, Anisur informed.
In Sunamganj, 656 tonnes of rice were procured against the target of 867 tonnes while in Moulvibazar 1285 tonnes were collected against 1634 tonnes. Highest 2736 tonnes were procured against the target of 2961 tonnes and it was 1365 in Sylhet district, where the target was 1645 tonnes. We are confident the target would be achieved within the deadline, the official added.
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