Bangladesh to import 50,000 tons of rice from Vietnam

The Government of Bangladesh has approved three separate proposals to procure 350,000 tonnes of rice under the direct procurement method (DPM) from Vietnam, India and Thailand.

The Bangladeshi Minister of Finance AHM Mustafa Kamal stated that the approval was granted during a meeting which he virtually chaired on March 10 of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, the finance minister said a proposal was approved in principle for procuring 150,000 tons of non-basmati boiled rice under the DPM method from the Punjab State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (PUNSUP) of India, to meet emergency purposes.

He said the meeting approved another proposal from the Ministry of Food for importing another 150,000 tons from the Sakonnakhon National Farmers Council, Office of the Prime Minister, in Thailand.

The third proposal from the Ministry of Food was approved to import 50,000 tons of white rice under the DPM method from the Southern Food Corporation (VINAFOOD) in Vietnam.

"We are procuring rice from various sources in order to minimise the risk factors," he added.

In response to a question, Kamal said the concerned Bangladesh ambassadors in India, Thailand and Vietnam would negotiate with the concerned companies and organisations to fix the price of the rice to be imported.