Although almost two months have passed since the launch, the Food Department has not been able to collect even one handful of paddy from the farmers during the current Aman season in Hili, Dinajpur.
According to officials, farmers are not selling paddy due to lower prices at the warehouses compared to the open market. Besides, the millers are not interested in storing paddy and making rice due to low price. Yet, the authorities are hopeful that they will achieve the rice collection target, even if the paddy target is not met.
The collection began on November 17 with a target of purchasing 456 tons of paddy at Tk28 per kg and 200 tons of rice at Tk42. So far, the Food Department has not been able to collect a handful of paddy. However, out of the 22 millers of the upazila, 11 have contracted to supply rice to warehouses, but so far five have supplied 57 tons of rice.
Soyful Islam, a farmer from Ismailpur in Hilli, said: "The price of paddy is above Tk1,300 a maund in the open market, much higher than the government-fixed rate of Tk1,080. As a result, I have sold paddy in the open market. There is a lot of trouble when giving paddy to the warehouse…the officials impose many conditions. I didn't want to get into trouble for that.”
He said the farmers would benefit if the government increased the price.
Mohsin Ali, another farmer of Hilli, said that the price of paddy in the open market was Tk1,280 to Tk1,320 a maund. “It is very easy to sell paddy in the open market: the wholesalers visit the fields and buy it after threshing the paddy.
“On the other hand, if you want to sell paddy to the warehouse, it has to be 13% dry. Moreover, farmers have to pay the transport cost,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
Altaf Hossain Mandal, the owner of Peerbox Husking Mill, said they would have to incur a loss if they supplied rice to the warehouses.
"We face a loss of Tk4 per kg. The price of paddy is high in the open market, and the cost of rice stands at Tk45-46. But the government has fixed the price of rice at Tk42,” he explained.
Another miller, on the condition of anonymity, complained that as they refused to sell rice to the warehouses, the food officials were talking about canceling their license of the miller, disconnecting electricity connections, and taking various measures.
Joseph Hasda, an officer of the food warehouse in Hili, said the paddy procurement target would not be achieved this season.
She added: “But we've started collecting rice and Trying to convince the millers to sell rice. So far, 57 tons of rice have been taken from five millers. Since there is time till February, I hope to meet the target of rice.”
