The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Adviser for Food and Disaster Management Tapan Chowdhury yesterday said the prices of essentials would decline from March next year, as the government expects stability in the international market from that period.

Briefing journalists at his Secretariat office the Adviser said the price of essentials hikes due to increase of those prices in the international markets.

He, however, said that there is no possibility of occurring any food crisis in the country since there is sufficient stock of rice. According to him the current foodgrain stock is about 7.16 lakh metric tones. Of these, the quantity of rice is 5.60 lakh metric tones while wheat is one lakh and 56 thousand metric tones. The stock of foodgrain was 6.29 lakh metric tons last year, he said. He said the Government has increased the stocks through local procurements as well as from the international market.

Tapan Chowdhury, who is also the Adviser for Power and Energy, said the government would launch procuring Aman paddy and rice soon at a rate of Tk 20 per kg.

The government has set the target to procure two lakh metric tons of rice during the current aman season. Asked whether the target will be fulfilled, as the price of rice in the market is high in the market, the Adviser said the government target is to increase supply of rice in the market.

If the procurement drive is not successful, the government would also import rice from abroad, he said.

The Adviser said the government distributed 3.23 lakh metric tons of foodgrains throughout the country through its Open Market System (OMS) and Voluntary Group

Feeding (VGF) programme during the period in between July and August.

Currently, he said, 29.83 lakh families were enjoying VGF support. The government planned to distribute 1.86 lakh metric tons of rice in the coming days to support 58.70 lakh more families in 64 districts, he added.

Replying to a question, he said the government imported 1.50 lakh metric tons of rice and 28.70 thousand metric tons of wheat against the target of 1.83 lakh tons of rice and 67 thousand metric tons of wheat.

Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management Dr M Aiyub Miah and other senior officers were present.