Boro procurement hits historic high

Staff Reporter :

The government has achieved a historic milestone in its domestic Boro procurement programme for 2025, which officially concluded on August 15.

According to an official press release issued on Monday, this year’s procurement targets were ambitious – 3.50 lakh tonnes of paddy, 14 lakh tonnes of parboiled rice, and 50,000 tonnes of atap rice.

What followed was an achievement that exceeded expectations and broke all previous records in the country’s public food stock management. The government successfully collected 3.76 lakh 942 tonnes of paddy, reaching 107.69% of its target. In the case of parboiled rice, the procurement stood at 14.06 lakh 533 tonnes, slightly above the target with a fulfillment rate of 100.46%. Similarly, atap rice collection totaled 51,307 tonnes, which is 102.21% of the target.

This achievement marks the highest-ever collection in the history of government procurement drives, surpassing previous years that had often ended with unmet goals and shortfalls.

For years, the government has struggled to meet annual rice collection targets due to a combination of challenges. Farmers were often reluctant to sell their produce at the government’s fixed rate when private traders offered better prices. Supply shortages, unfavorable weather conditions, and market volatility further complicated the procurement efforts. Against this backdrop, the 2025 success is being celebrated as a significant policy victory, bolstering the nation’s food security and ensuring stronger public reserves to cushion against future uncertainties.
Experts point out that the timely start of the procurement programme, the increased monitoring of procurement centers, and attractive payment assurances for farmers played a decisive role in this year’s outcome. Many small and medium-scale farmers, who usually struggle to negotiate with powerful middlemen, found the government’s offer to be fair and reliable, encouraging them to directly sell their harvest to state collection centers. This not only strengthened public stock but also helped improve cash flow among farmers at a crucial time of the season.
Despite this achievement, the success of the procurement drive has not translated into relief for consumers. Rice prices in the open market continue to climb abnormally, even as the country enjoys good harvests and duty-free import opportunities. Economists and market analysts argue that structural inefficiencies within the distribution system remain unresolved. Middlemen and large traders are accused of hoarding rice to artificially push prices upward.
Additionally, weaknesses in supply chain management and inadequate monitoring of private storage practices are preventing the benefits of a bumper harvest and record procurement from reaching ordinary households.
This dual reality-record public stock on one hand and rising consumer prices on the other-presents a paradox for policymakers. While the government has secured food reserves at an unprecedented level, the growing burden of food inflation is straining household budgets, particularly for low- and middle-income families. Experts emphasize that procurement success must now be complemented by stronger regulatory measures to curb market manipulation, better distribution mechanisms to release stock when needed, and policies that ensure fair price transmission from farms to consumers.
In sum, the government’s record-breaking Boro procurement in 2025 has undoubtedly strengthened national food security and demonstrated administrative efficiency in achieving collection targets. However, unless market distortions and profiteering practices are effectively addressed, ordinary citizens will continue to bear the weight of rising rice prices-highlighting that food security is not just about stockpiling reserves, but also about ensuring affordability and access for all.