Cabinet committee okays 50,000-ton rice import from India

The Bangladesh government has given the nod for procuring 50,000 metric tons of non-basmati rice from India.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) has approved the proposal to purchase the non-basmati rice under Package 2 of FY2020-21 through an international tender, reports Bangla Tribune.

The Food Department’s contract variation proposal to extend the cost of consultation firm – GERICO France – for the supervision of steel silo construction under the Modern Food Storage Facilities Project (MFSP) also received the committee's nod. 

Now, the consultant’s cost will go up by an additional Tk22.53 crore to Tk44.08 crore from Tk21.55 crore, reports UNB.

The decisions were taken at the 34th meeting of the CCGP this year, held virtually with Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq in the chair.

Also Read- Govt importing rice to replenish depleting food reserve

Briefing reporters after the meeting virtually, Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Dr Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal said rice would be imported from the supplier M/S Rika Global Impex Limited at a cost of $20,217,500 or around Tk171.44 crore, reports BSS.

He said the price per ton of rice would be $404.35 while per kilogram of rice would cost Tk34.28.

These 50,000 metric tons of rice will be imported through Mongla and Chittagong ports on a 60:40 ratio.

Despite having a relatively good domestic cereal year in the Covid-19 pandemic period, the government has been required to go for the import largely because of the food directorate’s failure in buying paddy from farmers and not replenishing food reserves in time.

Meanwhile, two proposals placed by the Industries Ministry were also approved by the cabinet panel, one paving the way for state-run Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) to import 25,000 MT of bulk granular urea from Qatar Chemical and Petrochemical Marketing and Distribution Company at a total cost of Tk56.06 crore under a state-level agreement.

BCIC has also been allowed to import 50,000 MT of bulk granular materials from Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) in two separate lots of equal quantity at a total cost of Tk111.80 crore, officials added.