The government will buy paddy through the "Krishoker App" (Farmers' App) this Aman season, and the Directorate of Food has sent field-level food officials 13 instructions for it. Letters with the instructions went to the regional food controllers of Dhaka, Rangpur, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, Sylhet, Rajshahi and Mymensingh.

This Aman season the government will buy 500,000 tonnes of rice and 300,000 tonnes of paddy from the domestic market, at Tk 42 a kg for rice and Tk 28 a kg for paddy.

The letter says it has been decided to implement the app on a pilot basis in 272 selected upazilas nationwide in the 2022-23 Aman season. The deadline for registering on the app and applying to sell paddy is 30 November, and officials have been told to inform farmers locally.

• Carry out paddy procurement through the Krishoker App in the selected upazilas.
• Ensure all UNOs, upazila agriculture officers and designated food officials attend virtual workshops on Zoom according to the training schedule.
• Download the video tutorial from the "Guideline – Krishoker App" section of www.dgfood.gov.bd and brief everyone on using the app.
• Download the leaflets and audio prepared for app-based procurement and publicise them by loudspeaker in every union.
• Put up posters in markets, opposite mosque gates and other visible places.
• Distribute leaflets at mosques, temples, market days and tea stalls.
• Deliver leaflets to union chairmen, members and local leaders.
• Distribute leaflets at sub-assistant agriculture officers' courtyard meetings.
• Broadcast the audio by loudspeaker in public places.
• Publish the leaflets on district and upazila web portals.
• Publicise posters and leaflets on social media.
• Inform union chairmen, members, women members and union digital centre (UDC) entrepreneurs through meetings with local administration.
• Encourage farmer registration through union digital centre entrepreneurs.

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