Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder on Friday said the country's food situation remains highly satisfactory, crediting a bumper Boro harvest for the substantial increase in food grain reserves.
Speaking at a view-exchange meeting at the Patuakhali Circuit House with Food Department officials from Patuakhali and Barguna, the adviser said: "If Aman cultivation performs as well as Boro, there would be no need to import rice from abroad."
Despite the current positive scenario, he emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant.
"Though our food stock is in a good state, we cannot afford to be complacent, as food grain consumption is ongoing and rising," he added.
According to the meeting, Patuakhali's Boro procurement targets are 1,925 tons of paddy and 5,695 tons of rice, with 1,925 tons of paddy and 4,997 tons of rice already collected.
In Barguna, the targets are 500 tons of paddy and 1,513 tons of rice, with 500 tons of paddy and 1,349 tons of rice procured so far. The six LSDs (Local Supply Depots) in Barguna together have a storage capacity of 15,000 tons.
The adviser instructed deputy commissioners to intensify monitoring of procurement and distribution, especially as Patuakhali and Barguna are disaster-prone areas. Ensuring uninterrupted food supply in such regions was highlighted as a priority.
This season, the government plans to procure 17.5 lakh tons of Boro crops from the local market, 3.5 lakh tons of paddy and 14 lakh tons of rice.
To support farmers, the government has increased the procurement price by Tk4 compared to last year, fixing paddy at Tk36 per kg and rice at Tk49 per kg. The Boro procurement drive, which began on April 24, will continue until August 31.
The food adviser also noted that the proposed food subsidy in the 2025-26 budget has been raised to Tk9,500 crore, up from Tk8,059 crore in the current fiscal year, to provide affordable food to low-income groups.
Under government efforts to expand social safety nets, the number of families receiving subsidized food through the Open Market Sale (OMS) and Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) programs will rise to 55 lakh in the next fiscal year, up from 50 lakh.
Each family will receive 30 kg of rice monthly at a subsidized rate of Tk15 per kg. Moreover, the program's duration will be extended from five to six months.