The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shamim Jahangir

The Government has so far built a record foodgrains stock of 12.70 lakh tonnes, according to Directorate of Food sources.

The government's strict stand in the procurement of the Boro rice from the rice millers and favourable international food markets during last couple of months have made it possible to build the present stock of rice and wheat, the highest foodgrain stock since 2000.

"We have stocked 11 lakh tonnes of rice and 1.70 lakh tonnes of wheat so far. The stock was 5.80 lakh tonnes of rice and 1.40 lakh tonnes of wheat last year," sources told the New Nation.

"The directorate of food has already procured 9.85 lakh tonnes of rice against the target of 14 lakh tonnes under the government ongoing Boro procurement drive," sources added.

Besides, the government has purchased 1.25 lakh tonnes of rice from India under a bilateral agreement after the devastating cyclone Sidr hit some southern parts of the country in 2007.

The government is also negotiating with the Myanmar government to buy one-lakh tonnes of rice under bilateral agreement, sources in the Commerce Ministry said.

The government has also signed two separate Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) to procure two lakh tonnes of wheat from Russia and Ukraine.

We have already procured 75,000 tonnes of wheat from Russia early this month. The rest of the quantity is expected in a month, sources informed.

"Our foodgrain stock target is likely to cross 13 lakh tonnes after getting rest of consignment of rice and wheat in next month," a high official of the Ministry of Food said.

The authorities have so far cancelled licences of 1,969 rice mills mostly in the country's northern areas for not selling rice and paddy to the government at the officially fixed rate.