FROM PAGE B1

The interim government aims to increase food grain distribution to 36.6 lakh tonnes in the coming fiscal year of 2025–26, according to the national budget documents published by the finance ministry.

The government has allocated Tk 20,538 crore for the distribution of food at subsidised rates, up 13 percent from a revised allocation of Tk 18,126 crore.

Agricultural economist Jahangir Alam Khan said the production of rice, potatoes, maize, onions, and fruits was increasing every year in the country.

Therefore, it is necessary to develop suitable storage infrastructure in various regions to preserve these products, he said.

A storage capacity of at least 50 lakh tonnes is required for preserving only paddy and rice, he added.

However, if the government implements its plan to build warehouses with a capacity of 37 lakh tonnes, its ability to intervene in the market will improve, he said.

At present, the market is largely controlled by businesspeople, not the government, because traders have the capacity to store goods and can manipulate the market as they wish, he added.

He also said that when the price of any commodity suddenly rises in the market, the government can stabilise the situation by releasing its reserves into the market.

In Bangladesh, the government needs to store at least 10 percent of the food grain produced.

Accordingly, a storage capacity of at least 50 lakh tonnes is necessary, he added.