There is unhealthy competition among traders to buy and store paddy. Everyone is buying paddy by competing, thinking that it is profitable to buy paddy. Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder has warned that this unhealthy competition will not bring good results.
He made the comment while speaking as the chief guest at his office room at the Secretariat on Sunday, where he virtually attended in an "online exchange meeting on internal procurement and market monitoring for the Borough 2022 season".
The minister said most mill owners buy paddy from the market but they are not going into production. Noting that new rice is not coming in the market yet, he said that the rice that is available in the market now is the old rice of last year.
The minister questioned where the rice was going, to the mill owners. Mentioning that this situation will not be allowed to continue, he said that who is buying how much paddy and who is releasing how much rice in the market after crossing it should be sent in the form of report to the officials of food department.
Various corporate houses have started rice business. They are buying, storing and packaging paddy from the market. Packaged rice is also being sold in the market at higher prices. Meanwhile, the minister directed the officials of the food department to hold a meeting with the corporate houses involved in the rice business as soon as possible., he added.
The minister mentioned that rumors are being spread that wheat is not being supplied from India, but not only India but many countries of the world have sent letters expressing interest in supplying wheat to Bangladesh.
He said borough collection must be successful as well as market monitoring must continue. Mentioning that no one should destabilize the market, the minister said that it does not matter who the party is and if anyone tries to destabilize the rice market, action will be taken against him.
In the north, storms and rains have damaged paddy. It is important to know the exact amount of damage in a district. It is not possible to make the right decision without calculating the production and calculating the amount of loss. At that time, the minister instructed the officials of the agriculture department to send accurate information. Nirod Baran Saha Chandan, president of the Naogaon Paddy and Rice Stockholders' Association, said the war in Ukraine would create a food crisis. Due to which many people think that rice crisis will be created in our country. That is why many are hoarding illegally. He called for action against such illegal hoarders. The meeting was chaired by Additional Secretary (Administration) of the Ministry of Food Md Mojibur Rahman.
