It seems that the price of rice is increased on someone’s whim. There is no question of pleading, country-people. It’s happening. People are used to it now. They have accepted that they are in a type of hostage.
In a meeting with the Kushtia district administration last Thursday, the Kushtia rice producers came up with the traditional lame excuse. In their words ‘The price of paddy is going up so the price of rice will shoot up. The same request also of the Deputy Commissioner that don’t increase the price unnecessarily in the intention of making more profit.
The meeting was chaired by Kushtia Deputy Commissioner Aslam Hossain and was attended by Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Atiqur Rahman Atik, District Food Controller Monowar Hossain, UNO of Kushtia Sadar Upazila Jubayer Hossain Chowdhury and other leaders of the Rice Mill Owners Association including Joynal Abedin, General Secretary of Kushtia District Auto Major and Husking Mill, Mofizul Islam, General Secretary of Kushtia District Branch of Bangladesh Auto Rice Mill Owners Association and MA Khaleq, Advisor of the Association.
Sources said the price of rice has started rising again in the market. As coronavirus panic spreads, rice sales increased, leading to higher prices. In the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2020-21 reduced tax for the local supply of essential commodities like rice, flour, potato, onion and garlic. As a result, the prices of these products have come down, but the prices of all types of rice have gone up; which continues. According to the review, the price of rice is increased by taking advantage of any disaster in the country.
But no one admits its responsibility.
Regarding the increase of rice price, the traders told that the price of paddy has gone up, so the price of rice is also going up. Again, many say that the price of rice has also gone up due to the announcement of red zones in different parts of the country. But has any evidence that law enforcers prevented rice to enter into red zone areas ? In this case, the old trick comes again. The storekeepers are imposing liability on the wholesalers and the wholesalers on the retailers. The rice producers also have no chance to escape.

Omar Farooq, president of the Kushtia district branch of the Bangladesh Auto rich Mill Owners Association told that the price of rice is being increased. To keep the rice market relaxed, the price of paddy has to be reduced. If the price of paddy increases, it is normal that the price of rice will increase. He further said that due to the loss of paddy in the cyclone Ampan this year, the farmers are not able to get good paddy at home. The farmers have also been affected. He claims that if they buy paddy at higher prices and sell rice at lower prices, they will get loss.
According to the market, the price of coarse rice is Tk. 40 to 42 per kg, while the price of thin rice Nazirshail and Miniket is Tk 60 rupees kg. A few days ago, the price of coarse rice was Tk. 36. The price of medium quality rice sold at at 40 to Rs 42 per kg has gone up by Tk 45 totk 50. The price of chikon rice has gone up from tk 56 to tk 62 per kg, which was earlier Rs 54 to Rs 58.
According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), a state-owned commercial body under the Ministry of Commerce, the price of coarse-grained rice has risen by 2.48 per cent in the last few weeks. Among medium-sized rice, the price of paijam rice has gone up by 4.17 per kg. Among the fine rice, the prices of Nazirshail and Miniket rice have increased by 5.16 percent per kg.
Research has shown that the price of paddy in different parts of the country is now between tk 800 to tk 900 per maund ; Which was between tk 650 to tk 650 last year. Asked why the price of paddy had gone up despite bumper yields in Aman and Boro, traders said there was renewed demand in the market. Rice and paddy are also being bought by the government. So the price of paddy has gone up as usual.

Meanwhile, according to food ministry sources, the government has decided to buy boro paddy from a maximum of three tonnes to six tonnes from a farmer this season. This amount was fixed on June 14 by amending the ‘Internal Food Grain Procurement Policy 2018’ and a letter has been sent to the Director General of the Food Department from the Ministry of Food to take action in this regard.

The government has set a target of procuring eight lakh tones of paddy and one lakh tones of boiled rice and one and a half lakh tones of atap rice in the current boro season. Boro has started buying rice from May 26. Paddy and rice collection will end on August 31. According to the decision of the government’s food planning and procurement committee, paddy is being bought at Tk 28 per kg, boiled rice at Tk 36 per kg and atap rice at Tk 35 per kg this year.
Meanwhile, sources in the Ministry of Agriculture said that boro paddy has been cultivated in 48 lakh 49 thousand hectares of land. Of these, hybrid rice was planted in 9 lakh hectares, Ufshi in 36 lakh 20 thousand hectares and boro paddy of 29 thousand hectares in the land. However, in the current boro season, the target was set to cultivate boro paddy in a total area of 48.70 lakh hectares in the country.
Statistics show that Boro has consistently had bumper yields over the past three years. And this year’s production target is close to last year. Last year the production was 4.15 tons per hectare for a total of 23 million 6 thousand tons.
Ampan or any other natural calamity had no effect on paddy collection. So what does such an excuse mean? Just profit?
Referring all things, the leaders of Bangladesh Auto Major Husking Mills Owners Association say, ‘The price of rice has not increased in wholesale hub. Fine rice is being sold below tk. 50. The price of coarse rice has not increased. There is so much turmoil in the retail market.
Kushtia Deputy Commissioner Aslam Hossain has requested the rice mill owners as usual. He said no one’s day are going well during the Corona epidemic. Thinking a little about the helpless people, he asked to keep the price of rice relaxed.
He added that the market monitoring team will carry out regular operations in all the mills of Khazanagar in Kushtia. The government instructed to sell rice at actual rate. He said strict action would be taken if the instruction is not abide.