Sadhan warns of stern actions against rice hoarders

Most of the mill owners are buying paddy from the market but they are not going to production, the minister said.

Sadhan warns of stern actions against rice hoarders Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Sunday warned that stern actions will be taken against those who will try to destabilize the country’s rice market.
“It doesn’t matter who belongs to which party, rather if anyone tries to destabilize the rice market, actions will be taken against the offender,” he said.
The minister issued the warning while speaking as the chief guest at a virtual view exchange meeting on ‘internal procurement and market monitoring in 2022 boro season’ from his ministry office in the Secretariat, said a press release.
Additional Secretary of the Food Ministry (admin) Md Majibur Rahman presided over the meeting while Director General of the Directorate General of Food Md Shakhawat Hossain, deputy commissioners (DCs) of Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions and other officials of agriculture department joined the meeting.
Sadhan asked the officials concerned to make the boro paddy procurement a success and monitor the market as well.
Noting that an unhealthy competition of hoarding paddy among traders is being noticed, he said, “It should be strictly monitored so that no one can destabilize the (rice) market”.
Most of the mill owners are buying paddy from the market but they are not going to production, the minister said.
Since new rice is yet to hit the market and the rice available in the market now is the old rice of previous season, Sadhan questioned the mill owners “Where is the new rice going?”
He asked the Food Department officials to send reports on who buys how much paddy and who mills how much rice.
The minister directed the officials of the Food Department to hold meetings with the corporate houses involved in the rice business as soon as possible.
Mentioning that rumors are being spread out that India is going to export wheat, Sadhan said not only India but many countries of the world have sent letters expressing interest to export wheat to Bangladesh.
Noting that storms and rains have damaged paddy in the country’s northern region, the minister asked the Agriculture Department officials to send information on paddy damage.