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The government has approved the procurement of an additional 50,000 tonnes of rice from India to bolster the nation’s food reserves and address the ongoing depletion of its stockpiles. This move aims to stabilise the country’s food supply and manage consumer demand for rice amidst continuing inflationary pressures.
The proposal, which was presented by the Ministry of Food, was greenlit by the Advisory Council on Government Purchases in a meeting chaired by Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed on Tuesday.
The imported rice will be non-basmati boiled rice, sourced from India’s M/s S. Pattavi Agro Foods Pvt. Ltd., at a price of $429.55 per metric ton. The total cost of the purchase will be approximately $21.47 million.
This rice import is part of Bangladesh’s broader effort to secure adequate food supplies. Earlier this year, on February 20, the government had approved the import of another 50,000 tonnes of rice from India, sourced from M/S Bhagadia Brothers Pvt. Ltd. That deal was valued at $21.73 million, with the price set at $434.55 per metric ton.
In addition to India, Bangladesh has also arranged rice imports from Pakistan, Vietnam, and Singapore, securing 50,000 tonnes from Pakistan, 50,000 tonnes from Singapore, and 100,000 tonnes from Vietnam. These agreements are part of a wider strategy to meet the total rice demand for the current fiscal year, which is estimated at 3.98 million metric tons, with an international sourcing target of 900,000 metric tons. To date, contracts for 650,000 metric tons have been signed.
This latest import will help Bangladesh address the pressing demand for rice while strengthening its food security amid global supply chain challenges and domestic inflation.
