Qamrul finds food stock sufficient

Food Minister Qamrul Islam yesterday trashed some recent media reports on low food stock in public granaries, claiming that the government had sufficient stock.

He, however, refused to share specific information about the current food reserve.

Speaking at a press conference at his ministry, he said the country would have at least 12 lakh tonnes of food in stock by September.

Pressed several times on the current food reserve, Qamrul said, “I don't want to speak further.”

Interestingly, the official website of his ministry shows that the government silos have a stock of only 3.37 lakh tonnes now.   

The minister blamed the recent price hike of rice on unscrupulous traders and rice millers who took advantage of flashflood in Haor areas.

He hoped the prices would come down soon with the first consignment (20,000 tonnes) of rice, imported by the government, reaching Chittagong Port yesterday.

He said the government struck a deal with Vietnam to import 2.5 lakh tonnes of rice. Of the amount, 1.1 lakh tonnes would reach the country by July 24 and the rest by next month.

More rice is being imported through international tenders and the government is hopeful that 4.5 lakh tonnes rice will reach Bangladesh within next month, said Qamrul.

The minister told reporters that he would visit Cambodia on August 1 to explore the possibility of importing rice from there. Also, two Indian and Thai delegations would visit Bangladesh within next few days for the same purpose.   

Private traders brought in 84,000 tonnes of rice from India since June 20 when the government slashed the import duty from 28 percent to 10 percent, he added.

According to government statistics, coarse rice prices increased 47 percent on a year-on-year basis. The Daily Star ran a report yesterday on the food ministry's indifference to low stock and delayed decisions on rice import and cutting import tariff.

Asked why the decision on rice import was delayed, he said they  started importing rice in “proper time”.

He said the ministry had earlier written to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to withdraw rice import tariff, but she took a “proper and timely decision” considering the farmers' benefit and the people were being benefitted from the PM's decision.

He expressed optimism that the government would be able to collect 3 to 4 lakh tonnes of rice through internal procurement within next month.

“We'll be able to build a handsome stock within next month. Our stock would be at least 8 to 10 lakh tonnes within August and 12 lakh tonnes within September.”

“You won't have any opportunity to run negative news on food stock,” he added.

About the recent media reports on low food stock, he said, “Your news has no basis. I am telling you we have sufficient stock. Except for relief work, we don't need to supply rice to any other sector now.... We have sufficient stock to carry out relief work.”

Asked about a report on the six-year low food stock and its adverse impact on rice prices, he said, “Those who are saying this are giving a wrong explanation.”

The government blacklisted some 16,000 millers for refusing to sell rice to it and stockpiling the staple, the minister said, adding that the government would not buy rice from them for next three years.

Qamrul said his ministry was not responsible for supplying food to market and controlling prices.

When a journalist pointed out that rice prices increased by Tk 30 to Tk 40 per mound due to flood, the minister said, “Your information is totally false. There is no question of price hike of rice. Don't ask such irrelevant questions.”