Rice OMS starts today
FE Report | Wednesday, 20 August 2008
The countrywide open market sale (OMS) of rice at Tk 28 per kilogramme (kg) begins today (Wednesday) aiming to prevent any further hike in prices of the food stuff before and during the holy month of Ramadan.
As per an earlier decision, the government is launching the countrywide OMS operation in order to support the poorer segment of people, badly affected by the current soaring prices of rice.
'The main purpose of launching the OMS drive is to help rein in prices of rice in the market, especially before and during the holy month of Ramadan,' a senior food ministry official told the FE.
About 6,698 authorised dealers will be engaged across the country in selling rice at their respective sale centres, the official noted.
Of the total, about 925 OMS dealers and 25 'truck-dealers' have been appointed for selling rice at important pockets under 90 wards of the capital city, an official source said.
Each of the OMS centres will sell 750 kg to 765 kg of rice every day while 3,000 kg of rice will also be sold a day by the truck-dealers, it added.
According to the food ministry officials, a total of 243,1800 tonnes of rice will be sold under the countrywide OMS programme, which is expected to continue until October 31.
A person will be able to purchase maximum three kg rice from an OMS dealer at a time, the officials mentioned.
The OMS operation will continue every day a week except Fridays.
The government will be supplying rice to the authorised dealers at a rate of Tk 26.50 per kg and they will sell it at Tk 28 per kg at the consumers' level.
According to officials, the government has undertaken OMS operation of rice as part of its current initiative to support the limited-income group of people and also help stabilise the rice market, especially during the holy month of Ramadan.
They expressed the hope that the OMS operation would certainly have some positive impact on the local rice market.
Apart from today's launch of the OMS drive by the government-appointed dealers, the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) has already reopened their fair-price shops in order to help keep the prices of essential commodities at reasonable levels on the occasion of Ramadan.
The BDR is selling some 22 essential items including rice through its 100 outlets in the city and 120 other outlets across the country, said an official source.
Besides, the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has planned to launch fair price sale of some selected commodities, including edible oil, pulse, gram and onion, from the very first day of the holy month of Ramadan.
About 12 trucks will roam in four divisional cities - Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi and Khulna, officials said, adding that eight of the trucks will be in the capital city alone.
As per an earlier decision, the government is launching the countrywide OMS operation in order to support the poorer segment of people, badly affected by the current soaring prices of rice.
'The main purpose of launching the OMS drive is to help rein in prices of rice in the market, especially before and during the holy month of Ramadan,' a senior food ministry official told the FE.
About 6,698 authorised dealers will be engaged across the country in selling rice at their respective sale centres, the official noted.
Of the total, about 925 OMS dealers and 25 'truck-dealers' have been appointed for selling rice at important pockets under 90 wards of the capital city, an official source said.
Each of the OMS centres will sell 750 kg to 765 kg of rice every day while 3,000 kg of rice will also be sold a day by the truck-dealers, it added.
According to the food ministry officials, a total of 243,1800 tonnes of rice will be sold under the countrywide OMS programme, which is expected to continue until October 31.
A person will be able to purchase maximum three kg rice from an OMS dealer at a time, the officials mentioned.
The OMS operation will continue every day a week except Fridays.
The government will be supplying rice to the authorised dealers at a rate of Tk 26.50 per kg and they will sell it at Tk 28 per kg at the consumers' level.
According to officials, the government has undertaken OMS operation of rice as part of its current initiative to support the limited-income group of people and also help stabilise the rice market, especially during the holy month of Ramadan.
They expressed the hope that the OMS operation would certainly have some positive impact on the local rice market.
Apart from today's launch of the OMS drive by the government-appointed dealers, the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) has already reopened their fair-price shops in order to help keep the prices of essential commodities at reasonable levels on the occasion of Ramadan.
The BDR is selling some 22 essential items including rice through its 100 outlets in the city and 120 other outlets across the country, said an official source.
Besides, the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has planned to launch fair price sale of some selected commodities, including edible oil, pulse, gram and onion, from the very first day of the holy month of Ramadan.
About 12 trucks will roam in four divisional cities - Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi and Khulna, officials said, adding that eight of the trucks will be in the capital city alone.