GAIBANDHA, June 1: Boro paddy and rice procurement drive of Department of Food has begun in Sadar upazila in the district on Sunday afternoon amid much enthusiasm to the farmers and the millers.
Office sources said the government has set a target to purchase a total of 416 metric tons of paddy from the farmers directly and 3640 tons of rice from the millers of the upazila during the current Boro season.
Acting Upazila Chairman Rashida Begum formally inaugurated the procurement drive at the godown of local supply depot (LSD) at Khanka Sharif area of the town here at around 1 pm as chief guest and UNO Ashraful Momin Khan was present as special guest.
With president of upazila Rice Mills Owners Association M. Ezazul Islam Pulu in the chair, the inaugural session was also addressed, among other,s by Upazila Controller of Food M. Nazmul Rashid and officer-in-charge of LSD Mizanur Rahman.
Speaking on the occasion, the guests asked the food officials to conduct paddy and rice procurement drive as per the directives and the guidelines of the government rising above all kinds of criticism and irregularities.
They also urged the farmers to sell their paddy to the local purchasing centres at fair prices and sought cooperation of all to make the paddy and rice procurement drive a grand success in the upazila.