Rajshahi, Mar 22 (V7N) – The Rajshahi Regional Food Control Office has recommended disciplinary action, including license cancellations, against 913 rice mills in the division for failing to meet government rice procurement contracts. The recommendations were submitted to the Food Ministry on Thursday, March 21.

The primary reason for the proposed actions is the mills' failure to supply contracted rice to government warehouses or to provide the agreed-upon quantities.

"The Regional Food Control Office has recommended disciplinary action against 913 rice mills in Rajshahi Division. The recommendation was sent to the Food Ministry on Thursday (March 21). The recommendation was made mainly for not supplying rice to government warehouses or not providing the appropriate amount of rice despite making contracts," a food control official stated.

The breakdown of the mills facing action is as follows:

Uncontracted Mills: 751 (45 auto rice mills, the rest husking mills)

Mills Failing to Supply Contracted Rice: 162 (30 supplied 80%, 71 supplied 50%)

The proposed punishments include fines deducted from security deposits for mills that supplied 50-80% of their contracted amounts, and license cancellations for those that failed to supply any rice.

"We have recommended deducting fines from the security deposit of mills that have supplied 50 to 80 percent of rice despite signing contracts. And it has been recommended to cancel the licenses of those who have not supplied any rice. Action will be taken as per the decision of the ministry," said Omar Faruk, assistant deputy director of the Rajshahi Regional Food Control Department.

The recommendations come amidst a backdrop of underachievement in paddy and rice procurement targets in the Rajshahi division.

Paddy Procurement Target: 56,359 tons (only 395 tons collected, 7% of target)

Parboiled Rice Procurement Target: 111,263 tons (94,707 tons collected)

Atap Rice Procurement Target: 21,891 tons (19,529 tons collected)

Farmers have also reported difficulties selling paddy to government warehouses, citing complications and delays. Additionally, the government-set price of paddy (1,320 taka per maund) was lower than the open market price (1,450 taka per maund), leading farmers to sell elsewhere.

There have also been reports of millers supplying substandard rice to government warehouses, as the market price is higher than the government fixed price.

The Food Ministry will now make the final decision on the recommended actions. Experts warn that systemic issues in the government procurement process and failure to ensure fair prices could lead to further problems in future procurement efforts.

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