Finance minister AMA Muhith, on Sunday, said the government is planning to export rice, as the country is now being able to meet the domestic demand. “Although the final decision is yet to be taken, we’ll explore the market for exporting rice,” he told reporters, after presiding over an inter-ministerial meeting on food and poultry sectors, held in his ministry. He said there is a proposal to export aromatic rice throughout the year.
Agriculture minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, food and disaster management minister Dr M Abdur Razzaque, commerce minister GM Quader and PM’s economic affairs adviser, Dr Mashiur Rahman, among others, attended the meeting.
The finance minister said a final decision on the matter may take at least six more months. He added that the move is aimed at ensuring a fair price to marginal farmers by raising the market price of the grain.
Responding to a question, he said once the final call is taken, rice export may begin on a small scale. He added that the country first exported about 10,000 tonnes of rice in 1981, with a consignment going to Senegal.
Responding to a query, he said the government may also consider lowering the price of rice in open market sale (OMS) and those sold to fair-price card holders.
Replying to another question, the finance minister claimed that people are suffering less as their income has gone up. “Inflation is seen in the capital and other big cities, but not in villages,” he added.
Muhith said the government is trying to boost the market price of rice from Tk. 25 per kg, which is less than the production cost of Tk 26.5 per kg. He suggested that the market price of rice should go up to Tk. 28 per kg, which he thought was less than other countries of the region.
He said the poultry sector is suffering more in the current year, compared to the last year. He added, “We need to go for production of vaccines to prevent avian flu from infecting humans.”
He said separate committees, headed by the health minister and water resources minister, will hold meetings with experts, to find ways to ensure international vaccination standards.
He, however, refused to comment on the Padma Bridge project.
-With The Independent input
