Food minister orders direct paddy procurement to protect farmers from middlemen.
Food Minister Afroza Khanam today directed concerned officials to remain particularly vigilant so that middlemen cannot deprive farmers of their rightful benefits during the paddy and rice procurement programme.
"We will procure paddy directly from farmers to protect their interests as the government is committed to safeguarding farmers' interests and ensuring fair prices for their produce," she said.
The minister made the remarks as the chief guest at an inaugural ceremony of the Internal Aman Procurement Programme-2026 at the playground of Baliati Ishwar Chandra High School in Saturia upazila of Manikganj district.
Afroza said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is working tirelessly for the wellbeing of farmers. In this regard, the government took various initiatives and implemented those to ensure a smooth and comfortable livelihood for the farmers, she added.
The minister instructed officials of the district administration and the food department to procure paddy directly from the genuine farmers, inform them about the procurement prices, ensure transparent quality assessment and make prompt payments.
The government had set a target of procuring a total of 850,000 tonnes of paddy and rice across the country during the Aman season of the 2026-27 fiscal year, she continued.
Of the total target, 300,000 tonnes of Aman paddy will be procured directly from farmers while 500,000 tonnes of parboiled rice and 50,000 tonnes of non-parboiled rice will be procured from millers.
Considering farmers' production costs and fair profit, the procurement prices have been fixed at Taka 35 per kilogram (Kg)for Aman paddy, Taka 49 for parboiled rice and Taka 48 for non-parboiled rice. Accordingly, a farmer will receive Taka 1,400 for selling 40-kg of paddy.
The minister said paddy procurement would run from today until February 28, 2027, while rice procurement would continue from December 1 to February 28, 2027.
She expressed hope that the procurement target would be achieved within the stipulated time through the collective efforts of all concerned.
Manikganj Deputy Commissioner Nazmun Ara Sultana presided over the programme while Director General (DG) of the Directorate General of Food M. Jashim Uddin Khan delivered the welcome address.
Officials from the Food and Agriculture Ministries, the district and upazila administrations, leaders and activists of the BNP and its associate
organisations, and a large number of farmers attended the event.
After inaugurating the Aman procurement programme, the food minister distributed wet quality certificates among five farmers.
She also distributed free seeds and chemical fertilisers among small and marginal farmers under the agricultural incentive programme for the 2026-27 Rabi season to boost mustard production.
A total of 1,009 farmers will receive incentives under the programme. At the event, 10 farmers symbolically received the incentives from the minister.
