BANGLADESH

After a week of the government announcement to procure rice and paddy from the local market, the Directorate General of Food sent letters to its offices in different districts fixing targets to buy the Boro crops.

"The launch of the drive to buy rice and paddy needs completion of particular processes after the decision is taken. We sent the letters after finishing the process on Tuesday," Director General of Food Directorate Ahmad Hossain Khan told .

He claimed that the letters had reached the local offices.

The crop procurement committees at district and upazila levels had already finished preparations, he said adding the drive to buy the crops would start next week.

At a meeting on Apr 30, the Food Planning and Monitoring Committee (FPMC) of the food ministry had decided to collect rice and paddy of the Boro season from May 3.

Food Minister Abdur Razzak had said the government would procure rice at Tk 28 a kg and paddy at Tk 18 a kg until September.