The government has permitted 30 private companies to import 83,000 tonnes of rice for controlling prices, and to facilitate the process the food ministry sent a letter to the commerce ministry on Thursday.

For speedy stabilisation of the country’s rice market, the Ministry of Food has ordered the concerned stakeholders to ensure that the imported rice is supplied to consumer markets by 25 April.

For protecting local producers, the ministry has restricted imports beyond the authorised limit.

The imported rice could be hoarded or marketed as value-added goods, thereby leading to continued high prices. For avoiding such a scenario, the food ministry has declared that data on the amount of imported rice, storage and marketing procedures would have to be provided to the relevant Office of the District Controller of Food.

The ministry has also banned repackaging of the imported rice.

BDST: 2114 HRS, MAR 21, 2024
MSK