Rice prices to fall soon

The prices of rice will come down soon, as there is no supply crunch of the main staple in the country, said Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Wednesday.
"The auto rice-millers are purchasing paddy. But they are yet to produce rice, as rainfalls over the last few days hampered drying of paddy and thus delayed rice production. It slightly raised the prices," he told the media at his Bangladesh Secretariat office.
He noted that rice millers were drying paddy by spending five to six days due to the recent rainfalls. Usually it takes only two days for drying paddy before producing rice.
The minister also said the Ministry of Food and other government agencies concerned were constantly monitoring the rice price situation.
"We are monitoring the present price situation. We hope that the prices of rice will come down soon."
Replying to a question he replied that the country would not face any shortage of food, as the government has taken measures in this regard.
The prices of different varieties of rice were still high in the retail markets despite several measures taken by the government.
Coarse varieties of rice were selling between Tk 48 and Tk 50 a kilogramme (kg), while a kg of finer varieties were selling between Tk 65 and Tk 75 in the kitchen markets in the capital on Wednesday.

talhabinhabib@yahoo.com