The mills at BSCIC industrial estates have been producing rice to ensure its smooth supply in the market during the coronavirus pandemic, an official said.
There are a total of 76 industrial estates under BSCIC. Of them, 13 estates have been producing around 1,900 tonnes of rice daily to keep the supply chain of the staple unhindered and keep its prices stable in the market during Covid-19.
Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) industrial estate in Pabna produces 600 tonnes of rice daily while Rajshahi 550 tonnes, Dinajpur 400 tonnes, Naogaon 120 tonnes, Khulna 103 tonnes, Kurigram 27 tonnes, Cox's Bazar 25 tonnes, Jamalpur 23 tonnes, Gaibandha 20 tonnes, Sherpur 18 tonnes, Rajbari 9 tonnes, Gopalganj 3 tonnes and Bagerhat 2 tonnes.
"Our (BSCIC) industrial units have been producing rice to ensure smooth supply of rice in the market and check price spiral during Covid-19," Chairman of BSCIC Md Mostaque Hassan, ndc, told the FE on Wednesday.
He said the officials and workers of the rice mills have been strictly following the health safety guidelines during production, storage and supply of rice to different places of the country.
An official of Pabna BSCIC industrial unit told the FE on Wednesday that there are 39 rice mills in the district's industrial estate that produce around 600 tonnes of rice worth around Tk 76 million daily.
Rice produced by the rice mills in BSCIC industrial estates is being supplied to different districts under Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur, Sylhet and Mymensingh divisions.
The tunnel vitamin rice produced in Khulna BSCIC industrial estate is being distributed among the destitute/ poor people through government food safe-net/ social safety net programmes like Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) and Food Friendly Programme of the World Food Programme.
The tunnel vitamin rice contains 99 per cent of general rice along with one per cent vitamin A, B, B-9, B-12, iron and zinc.
A high official of Khulna BSCIC told the FE that they have also been producing different varieties of rice that are being supplied to Satkhira, Bagerhat, Jashore, Khulna and other 30 districts in the south and south west zone of the country.
A rice mill owner told the FE on Wednesday that the rice millers at BSCIC industrial estates in Naogaon and Pabna and other districts in the northern region of the country will gear up their production after ending of ongoing procurement of Boro paddy.
The government has signed an agreement with the rice mills owners at BSCIC industrial estates for purchasing Boro rice.
The rice mills owners at BSCIC industrial estates have been supplying rice to the government to ensure food safety and keep the market prices stable during the pandemic.
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