An e-book published to mark the government's first 180 days sets out its initiatives and achievements in the food sector. It says the government is running a range of programmes to ensure food security, keep the supply of essential foods normal and stabilise prices. Steps have been taken to build capacity in food management by increasing grain stocks, supplying food at subsidised prices, controlling food quality and building modern storage.

The e-book says that at a Ministry of Information press conference on 28 July it was announced that government warehouses held more than 24 lakh tonnes of food grain, the highest in the country's history, against a set safe stock level of 13.5 lakh tonnes.

The current stock includes about 19.61 lakh tonnes of rice, 2.96 lakh tonnes of wheat and 1.69 lakh tonnes of paddy, which can be used as rice.

According to the e-book, a high-level food safety committee has been formed on the Prime Minister's instructions to improve food quality, step up drives against adulteration and carry out institutional reform.

Work is also under way to set up modern laboratories and increase staff to strengthen food testing and surveillance, with emphasis on preventing adulteration and ensuring safe food.

To ease the impact of inflation, open market sales (OMS) of food grain are running at 1,011 centres, where rice sells at Tk 30 a kg, loose atta at Tk 24 a kg and two-kg packets of atta at Tk 55.

In addition, as emergency food assistance, 406 tonnes of rice are sold daily at subsidised prices at 836 upazila sales centres.

The e-book says that in coordination with the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), 33,833 tonnes of rice a month are supplied at Tk 30 a kg to more than 67 lakh vulnerable families, helping to cut food costs for low-income and vulnerable families and support their food security.

The 2026 Boro procurement drive has also made significant progress: by 28 June, 2.71 lakh tonnes of paddy and 7.99 lakh tonnes of rice had been procured. This has increased government stocks and aims to ensure fair prices for farmers by buying paddy and rice directly from them.

To keep the supply of grain in the market normal, 1,195 tonnes of rice and 1,443 tonnes of atta are sold every day under open market sales. The programme is helping to keep grain supply normal and prices stable.

Steps have also been taken to build modern warehouses, small cold stores and improved storage to reduce post-harvest food losses. Once implemented, these will cut post-harvest waste, raise farmers' profits and increase long-term grain storage capacity, while making it easier to ensure grain supply in the market when needed.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.