The government is looking forward to constructing 30 more silos across the country to increase food grain stocks.
With this, it is aiming to increase its food grain stocks to 35 lakh tonnes. Construction of these silos will start soon.
At present eight steel silos are being constructed at eight important places in the country. Among them five are rice silos and three are wheat silos.
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar made the disclosure while speaking as the chief guest at the foundation laying ceremony of the modern steel silo construction of wheat with a capacity of 114300 tonnes in Patenga, Chattogram on Saturday. Later, the minister laid the foundation stone of Chattogram wheat steel silo.
He said, “The country has the capacity to store 21 lakh tonnes of food grains. The government is working on the target of 35 lakh tonnes of food grain storage by 2025.”
Mentioning that farmers' wet rice will be dried and stored in silos, the minister said that besides food security, the government procures rice to help farmers.
The Food Minister said, “Ukraine has created global problems due to Russia’s war. However, there is going to be a compromise through the mediation of Turkey. Ukraine and Russia have made an agreement to export food products which will be a relief for us, wheat will not be difficult to import.”
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mominur Rahman presided over the function while member of parliament Mostafizur Rahman, Food Secretary Md Ismail Hossain spoke as special guests. Director General of Food Directorate Md Sakhawat Hossain delivered the welcome speech.
The under construction wheat silo, which is being built at a cost of Tk 537.57 crore financed by the World Bank, will be completed in July 2024. With a capacity of 12700 tonnes, the silo has a total of nine silo bins. Without the use of pesticides in all these silo bins, the stored rice can be stored for about 2 (two) years by controlling the humidity and temperature through modern chillers and nitrogen fumigation devices.
The supply and distribution of this silo will be conducted by road and sea. Wheat imported in bulk from abroad through international tender will be stored in silos.
Additional Secretary Khurshid Iqbal Rezvi, Project Director of Modern Steel Silo Project Md. Rezaul Karim Sheikh, Chattogram Regional Food Officer Md. Zahirul Islam, Muktijodha Sangsad Chattogram Command Commander Bir Muktijodha Mozaffar Ahmad, Rauzan Upazila Parishad Chairman Ehsanul Haider Chowdhury, Bangladesh Awami League Subcommittee on Culture Member Engineer Trina Majumdar, District Food Controller Mohammad Abdul Quader and Chattogram Silo Super Faizullah Khan Shibli were present at the programme.