Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder on Monday called for immediate action against illegal food hoarding to ensure the price support for farmers.
He has also instructed the authorities concerned, including deputy commissioners (DCs) and food officials, to take necessary measures regarding this.
The discussion, held at the Circuit House in Barishal on Monday, centered on the ongoing procurement of Aman paddy and rice for the 2024-25 season.
Emphasizing the critical role of maintaining food security, the adviser instructed authorities to ensure the Aman procurement targets are met. He highlighted the importance of collaboration among DCs, food officials, and other stakeholders in achieving this goal.
To streamline the process, Ali Imam urged officials to utilize the government’s app for direct paddy procurement from farmers. In areas where the app faces operational issues, manual verification of farmers' national identification cards (NIDs) will be used as an alternative.
The government has raised the support price for farmers, setting the per-kilogram rate for paddy at Tk 33, and for parboiled and unpolished rice at Tk 47 and Tk 46, respectively—marking a Tk 3 increase from last year.
The procurement period runs until February 28, 2025, for paddy and parboiled rice, and until March 15, 2025, for unpolished rice.
Officials reported steady progress in meeting collection targets and expressed optimism about achieving the goals within the timeline.
The meeting was attended by the Director General of the Food Department, Barishal's Divisional Commissioner, RC Food, DC Food, and deputy commissioners from all districts in the Barishal division. They discussed coordinated efforts to combat illegal food hoarding and ensure fair procurement practices.
The Food Adviser reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring farmers receive fair prices while safeguarding national food security through vigilant monitoring and effective interventions.
