Adequate food stock in country and no shortage remaining

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Thursday said many people think that the government's food stocks has decreased which is not correct.

He said there is adequate food stock and no food shortage remaining in the nation.

The minister was speaking as chief guest at the signing ceremony of 'Barisal steel silo construction and online food stock monitoring system purchase agreement' at the Directorate General of Food in Dhaka.

Sadhan Chandra said the activities of the Ministry of Food are also being modernised and updated in line with ongoing activities for building a better Bangladesh.

Under the online monitoring of food warehouses including regional food offices, district offices, upazila offices, more transparency and accountability will be ensured in activities of the food department.

The minister said steel silos are being constructed to increase food stock by 2025. The construction work of Mymensingh, Ashuganj and Madhupur silos is about to be complete and they will be handed over by December this year. Meanwhile construction work on five more steel silos will begin soon.

In all these silos, food grains will be stored in a state-of-the-art cooling system without the use of pesticides which will keep the quality and nutrition of food grains intact for up to two years, the minister said.

He added that there are plans to build 200 paddy silos across the country to ensure a fair price for farmers. Approval of construction of 30 paddy silo has already been approved. If these are constructed, marginalised farmers will be able to supply paddy easily.

Beximco Computers Ltd signed an agreement with the Food Department at the programme. Under the agreement, Beximco Computers will ensure online connectivity to 1,200 sites in the Food Department's 64 districts. Beximco Computers will also work to improve IT skills by training the department's 35,000 manpower.

Besides, Confidence Infrastructure Limited Bangladesh and GSI USI JV signed an agreement with the Food Department. They will build Barisal Steel Silo as per the terms of the agreement. This silo with a capacity of 48,000 metric tons will play a role in increasing food stocks as well as maintaining food quality and nutrition.