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 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 (Photo: AFP/VNA)

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 country’s Minister of Finance AHM Mustafa Kamal said the approval came during a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, which was held virtually on March 10 under his chair.

Accordingly, the meeting gave approval to a proposal in principle to import 50,000 tons of white rice from the Southern Food Corporation (VINAFOOD) in Vietnam.

It also approved to procure 150,000 tonnes each of non-basmati boiled rice from the Punjab State of India, to meet emergency purposes, and from the Sakonnakhon National Farmers Council in Thailand.

Speaking with reporters, Kamal said the government was trying to procure rice from different sources so that no problems arise in the future.

The minister added that Bangladesh ambassadors in Vietnam, India and Thailand would negotiate with the related companies and organisations to fix the price of the rice to be imported./.