ZCZC
BSS-18
PROCUREMENT-BORO-PADDY (with picture)
Boro procurement getting momentum in Rangpur division
RANGPUR, June 03, 2019 (BSS) – The procurement process of Boro rice and
paddy is getting momentum putting positive impacts on market price of paddy
bringing slight relief to farmers in Rangpur division.
“We have already procured 1,532 tonnes of Boro paddy directly from farmers
and 36,733 tonnes of Boro rice from millers till Sunday,” said Mohammad
Raihanul Kabir, Regional Controller of Food at Rangpur Regional Office of the
Department of Food.
The government has fixed a record target of procuring 2.24-lakh tonnes of
boiled Boro rice, 14,641 tonnes of ‘Atap’ rice and 23,434 tonnes of Boro
paddy in Rangpur division this time aiming at ensuring fair price to farmers.
The official procurement drive began from April 25 last and would continue
till July 31 next in all eight districts of Rangpur division.
“Under the programme, we have completed signing of agreements with 8,000
millers to get supply of one lakh 24 thousand and 310 tonnes of boiled Boro
rice at Taka 36 per kg from Rangpur division,” he said.
Besides, another 251 millers would supply 14,641 tonnes of ‘Atap’ Boro rice
at Taka 35 per kg while the government is purchasing Boro paddy directly from
farmers at Taka 26 per kg (Taka 1,040 per mound), he added.
District Food Controller for Rangpur Abdul Quader said the procurement
process of the fixed target of 25,190 tonnes of boiled Boro rice, 726 tonnes
of ‘Atap’ Boro ice and 3,998 tonnes of Boro paddy is getting momentum across
the district.
Talking to BSS, farmer Ariful Haque Batul of village Najirdigar in Rangpur
Sadar upazila said he harvested a bumper production of Boro paddy cultivated
on his 5.50 acres of land this season.
“The total farming costs of Boro crop, including labour-cost for its
harvest, on my five acres of land stood at around Taka 47,000 with Taka 9,000
per acre of land for high wages of farm-labourers this time,” he said.
However, Batul got a bumper harvest of 88 mounds of Boro crop in terms of
paddy per acre of land.
“Though current market price of paddy stands at Taka 550 per mound, I hope
to earn better profit if I could sell my Boro paddy to the government
purchasing centre at Taka 26 per kg (Taka 1,040 per mound),” Batul added.
Similarly, farmers Manik Mian, Mofizar Rahman, Akram Hossain, Badiul Alam,
Abdul Khaleque and Mubarak Ali of different villages in Sadar, Badarganj and
Taraganj upazilas here said they have got bumper production of Boro crop this
time.
The farmers called upon the government to take more steps so that they
could sell their produced Boro paddy directly to the government purchasing
centres at Taka 26 per kg terming the present market price as not profitable
for them.
However, they expressed satisfaction over little rise in the market price
of Boro paddy to Taka 550 to 600 per mound following procurement of the crop
by the government against Taka 500 two weeks back in the region.
Regional Additional Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension
(DAE) Muhammad Ali said farmers have already exceeded the fixed Boro rice
production target after harvesting on 98.57 percent of cultivated land area
in Rangpur agriculture region.
The DAE has fixed a target of producing 20.88-lakh tonnes of clean Boro
rice (31.32-lakh tonnes of paddy) from 4.97-lakh hectares of land for the
region this season.
However, farmers have finally cultivated the crop on 5.09-lakh hectares of
land this time, higher by 12,319 hectares than the fixed cultivation target
in the region.
“The farmers have already harvested Boro crop on 5.02-lakh hectares of
land and produced over 21.42-lakh tonnes of clean Boro rice (32.13 tonnes of
paddy) by Sunday in Rangpur agriculture region,” Ali said.
The government is trying its best to provide fair price of Boro paddy to
farmers by procuring Boro paddy directly from farmers to reach full benefits
to farmers for their produce, he added.
BSS/SPL/MI/RY/1655 hrs