Chattogram, Apr 04 (V7N) – A bulk shipment of 10,850 metric tons of parboiled rice from India has arrived at the Chittagong Port, under the International Open Tender Agreement (Package-8), as part of Bangladesh’s ongoing effort to boost food security through rice imports.

The information was confirmed in a press release issued on Thursday by Imdad Islam, Senior Information Officer and Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Food.

According to the statement, this consignment is part of a broader agreement to import 500,000 metric tons of rice from India under the open tender mechanism. Of this, 450,000 metric tons have been contracted through nine separate packages. So far, 306,769 metric tons of rice have already arrived in the country under the arrangement.

The statement confirmed that sample testing of the rice on board the vessel MV HT Unit has been completed, and the unloading process will commence shortly, with all necessary arrangements already in place at the port.

This latest arrival follows a previous shipment under Package-5, where 9,500 metric tons of rice reached Chittagong Port on March 27.

The rice import initiative is part of the government’s broader strategy to maintain adequate food grain reserves, stabilize prices, and ensure food security, especially in the backdrop of fluctuating global supply chains and climate-related uncertainties impacting local crop yields.

Officials from the Food Ministry reiterated their commitment to completing the remaining deliveries under the agreement promptly, ensuring seamless distribution across the country.

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