Rice mill owners and retailers charging additional Tk8-14 per kg is the main reason behind the skyrocketing price of Bangladesh's staple food, according to research conducted by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).
BRRI Director General Shahjahan Kabir revealed the information at the inauguration of the annual research review workshop in Gazipur on Thursday morning.
He said: “Farmers' production costs have also marginally gone up. Additionally, business organizations are attempting to dominate the rice market. There was a bountiful harvest of Aman this year. Up to June of next year, there won't be a scarcity of rice; rather, there will be a surplus of 420,000 tons.”
According to the BRRI research, rice prices in Bangladesh are always higher than international prices. It increased more during the Covid-19 pandemic and did not go down even when international prices dropped.
Prices also remained high because of the demand and supply scenarios, the cost of rice cultivation, and the farm gate value, the research said.
The chief guest at the event, Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque said that while the population is rising, the amount of agricultural land is declining. More attention should be put on research in order to boost rice output in these challenging circumstances. The invention of new types should also grow quickly at the same time.
The minister stated that the current government is working to guarantee that everyone has access to nutritious meals.
“Land is being used more and more for the commercial production of various crops. Every institution, scientist, and official in this situation must have a well-coordinated plan in place before tackling the issues of the future,” he added.
The minister continued: "We have identified numerous explanations in the research of BRRI."
He also called for an impartial investigation to determine the true cause of the record rice production.
“In addition to BRI, BIDS, CPD, and other research institutions must also study this problem,” he added.
