PRAN Banga Millers Limited (BML) has begun procuring aman paddy directly from farmers, under its own supervision, in the northern district of Dinajpur.

PRAN Group Managing Director Md Ilias Mridha inaugurated the programme on Wednesday morning (26 November) at the factory premises in Rangamati, Fulbari.

Md Naser Ahmed, executive director of Fulbari Banga Millers Limited, said paddy is grown on 1,450 hectares through contract farmers under the company's supervision. This season it has set a target of procuring 2,750 tonnes of paddy of a total of nine varieties, including BINA dhan17, BRRI dhan33, 34, 49, 51, 75, 87, 90, 93 and 103, as well as Zirashail and Katari.

Speaking as chief guest, Md Ilias Mridha said: "Banga Millers Limited has started buying paddy directly from farmers. This time the target is 2,750 tonnes. If the government permits, the rice bought can be processed and exported, as well as sold at home."

He said the company had given farmers seed of the high-yielding BR-103 variety and got a satisfactory yield. "To my knowledge, this is the rice that produces the most in the shortest time in Bangladesh. Through this rice, Bangladesh will be self-sufficient in food and farmers will profit," he said.

He added that PRAN has long worked to improve the quality of farm produce and farmers' living standards. Throughout the year PRAN supplies contract farmers with seed, fertiliser and other inputs and provides training to help them get better yields.

Also present were Sheikh Wares Ul Habib, executive director of PRAN seeds, fertiliser and pesticides; Md Saiful Islam Shikder, executive director of PRAN Foods; S M Mostafa Afzal of BPL; and Md Naser Ahmed, executive director of Fulbari Banga Millers Limited.

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