Food and Land Affairs Adviser Ali Imam Majumder on Friday said the country’s current food situation is highly satisfactory as it might not need to import rice from abroad this time.

“The food situation in the country is very satisfactory. If the Aman harvest is good following a successful Boro season, there will be no need for rice import from abroad,” he said.

The adviser made the remarks while exchanging views with food department officials of Patuakhali and Barguna districts at the Patuakhali Circuit House on Boro procurement targets, stock, and distribution for the current season, said a PID handout here.

He said the government has set a target of collecting 1.75 million metric tonnes of paddy and rice during the Boro season from the local market — including 350,000 tonnes of paddy and 1.4 million tonnes of rice.

To ensure fair prices for farmers, the government has fixed the procurement rates at Tk 36 per kg for paddy and Tk 49 per kg for rice, increasing by Tk 4 per kg compared to last year. The procurement drive began on April 24 and will continue until August 31.

The adviser directed deputy commissioners to closely monitor food procurement and distribution in their respective districts.

Focusing on the government's efforts to ensure affordable food for low-income and poor communities, he said the proposed budget for FY 2025-26 increased the food subsidy allocation to Tk 9,500 crore, up from Tk 8,059 crore in the outgoing fiscal year.

The government has also expanded food distribution through OMS and TCB, aiming to raise the number of beneficiary families from 5 million to 5.5 million in the upcoming fiscal.

Under this programme, each family will receive 30kg of rice per month at Tk 15 per kg. The programme currently runs for five months each year but will be extended to six months from the next fiscal, he added.

According to official data, the Boro procurement target in Patuakhali has been set at 1,925 metric tonnes of paddy and 5,695 metric tonnes of rice. So far, 1,925 tonnes of paddy and 4,997 tonnes of rice have been procured.

In Barguna, the targets are 500 metric tonnes of paddy and 1,513 metric tonnes of rice — of which 500 tonnes of paddy and 1,349 tonnes of rice have already been collected. Barguna district has six LSDs with a combined storage capacity of 15,000 metric tonnes.

Presided over by Patuakhali Deputy Commissioner Abu Hasnat Mohammad Arifin, the meeting was attended, among others, by Regional Food Controller of Barishal Division, Barguna Deputy Commissioner, food officials from both districts.