A Parliamentary standing committee has asked the food ministry to procure more paddy than the targeted amount.
A media statement by the Parliament Secretariat on Monday (May 20) said that the committee has also asked the ministry to stop import of rice.
“We have asked the government to procure more paddy than the targeted 150,000 ton,” said Standing Committee on Ministry of Food chief Mohammad Nasim.
“The committee has recommended export of rice even with subsidy,” he added.
He added that the recommendation included buying the paddy directly from the farmers instead of from a third party.
Food Minister Shadhan Chandra Majumder, who was present at the meeting said that the government has undertaken a project to build 200 paddy silos with 5,000 metric ton capacity throughout the country.
He said that since the government procures 14 percent of dry paddy, the farmers are forced to sell it to a third party for lower prices.
“Once the paddy silos are built the farmers themselves will be able to dry the crops,” he added.