Rice price at tolerable level: Food Ministry 

The price of rice is at a tolerable level due to the government's efforts, including strict regular monitoring of the market.
 
In a statement the food ministry said there is no shortage food, particularly rice in the country and price of the staple food item remains at tolerable level due to continuously monitoring by the government.

“The government already has made sufficient food stock aiming to check food deficit . . . continuous market monitoring is going on to keep prices of rice and other food items at tolerable level,” the ministry said.

To keep the price stable, the food ministry is continuously importing the rice, it said, adding that the ministry is always very alert to ensure the rice supply at minimum cost for the poor population of the country.

During March-April, the food ministry said the government will distribute nearly 7 lakh tonnes rice through food friendly programme, open market sale (OMS), vulnerable group development (VGD) and Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).

Even the government is expecting good rice production during the upcoming boro season, which usually begins between April and June and the rice price would further decline during this time, the release added.

Contradicting reports of some media outlets about unstable rice price, the food ministry said the country generally experiences a rise in rice price at the time when the aman season ends and at the middle of the boro harvest.

But the food price particularly the price of medium quality rice including the coarse variety one or ‘Guti-Shawarna’  consumed by the lower class families, remains at tolerable level this year due to initiative by the present interim government.

At Kawran Bazar, the unit selling price of coarse variety rice varied at Taka 48-52, fine variety at Taka 78-85 while in Babu Bazar, the coarse variety rice is being sold at Taka 48-54 and fine variety at Taka 78-85 and the price is verified by the directorate of food.

While visiting Mohammadpur Krishi Market, the release said buying price of medium quality (BRRI 28) rice was Taka 57 per kg while selling price was at Taka 57.50, buying price of fine quality nazir shail was Taka 83.50 per kg and selling price was at Taka 84-85 per kg.

About price of the ‘miniket’ rice, it said it is machine processed one as the rice is being manufactured after polishing the coarse variety rice like BRRI-28 and BRRI-29, so, the price of miniket does reflect the actual prices of rice market, the release added.