Trade, politics won’t be mixed over India: Food Adviser

Staff Reporter :

Rice imports from various countries, including India, will help mitigate a potential shortage, Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder stated on Sunday.

“Although domestic rice production usually lessens the need for imports, this year’s floods in the eastern region have damaged agricultural lands, causing an anticipated shortfall in food production. To address this, the government has opted to import rice to fill the gap,” he said while inspecting the construction progress of a steel rice silo in Ashuganj, Brahmanbaria, this afternoon.

The food adviser highlighted that the government is prioritizing the procurement of food grains from the international market. In addition to India, rice will also be imported from Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, and Pakistan.

Addressing questions about the decision to source rice from India, he clarified, “We do not intertwine trade with politics. Buying rice from India is more economical. Therefore, approval has been granted for the import of 1.5 lakh tonnes of rice, which is expected to arrive shortly.”

During the visit, Brahmanbaria Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Didarul Alam, along with officials from the local administration and the Directorate General of Food, accompanied the adviser. As part of the Modern Food Grain Storage project, a steel rice silo is under construction along the Meghna River in Ashuganj at an estimated cost of Tk540 crore.

This advanced facility will enable rice storage for up to two years without compromising its nutritional quality, making it the most durable food grain storage in South Asia.