The government has decided to import 70,000 tonnes of DAP and TSP fertiliser from Morocco to keep farm production going and meet farmers' demand. This includes 40,000 tonnes of DAP and 30,000 tonnes of TSP, at a total cost of Tk 688 crore 70 lakh.
The proposals were approved at a meeting of the cabinet committee on government purchase, chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, at the Secretariat on Wednesday, 2 September.
40,000 tonnes of DAP
On a proposal from the Ministry of Agriculture, the meeting approved importing 40,000 tonnes of DAP from Morocco under a government-to-government agreement. The fertiliser will be imported through the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC).
Under the proposal, DAP will cost US$894 a tonne. The 40,000 tonnes will cost US$3 crore 57 lakh 60,000 in total, or Tk 440 crore 92 lakh 8,000, to be paid from the agricultural subsidy budget.
As the earlier government-level agreement for DAP imports from Morocco had run its course, it was renewed on 25 June. This time's DAP price has been set according to the pricing method in that agreement, taking current international market prices into account.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the target for DAP imports from Morocco in the 2026-27 fiscal year is 5 lakh 60,000 tonnes, of which 2 lakh tonnes have already been imported. The new approval for 40,000 tonnes will further increase supply against the target.
30,000 tonnes of TSP
The same meeting recommended for approval a proposal to import another 30,000 tonnes of TSP from Morocco under a government-level agreement. This will be the seventh lot under the agreement.
The total purchase price for the 30,000 tonnes of TSP has been put at Tk 247 crore 78 lakh 59,660, or US$669.33 a tonne. Here too, the relevant Moroccan company has been recommended as supplier.
In all, under Wednesday's decisions, 70,000 tonnes of DAP and TSP will be imported from Morocco: Tk 440 crore 92 lakh 8,000 for DAP and Tk 247 crore 78 lakh 59,660 for TSP, about Tk 688 crore 71 lakh together.
The government imports fertiliser from various countries at government level to keep supply normal during the growing season and deliver fertiliser to farmers at the set price. The DAP and TSP imports from Morocco are part of this.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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