Following the resumption of rice imports through Benapole port in August, 7,100 tonnes have already been brought into Bangladesh over 21 working days, and importers confirm further consignments are lined up at Petrapole.
Deputy Director of Benapole Land Port Faisal Ahsan Sajib confirmed the information on Tuesday (September 30). The imported rice is mostly coarse verities. Each tonne of rice is being imported at a rate of $ 560 dollar.
He stated that 203 trucks carrying coarse rice entered Benapole port under 75 consignments, with four to five C&F (Clearing and Forwarding) agents handling the customs clearance process.
Shyamal Kumar Nath, Deputy Assistant Officer at the Benapole Plant Quarantine Centre, said that the last rice import took place on April August this year.
After receiving permission from the Food Ministry, many companies have opened LCs. New consignments have already started to arrive. From August 21 to September 29, within 40 days and 21 working days, 7,100 tonnes of rice were imported through Benapole port.
“Several more rice-laden trucks are waiting at Petrapole port to enter Bangladesh,” he informed.
Sajedur Rahman, General Secretary of the Benapole C&F Staff Association, said that rice prices remain stable at Benapole port.
Vice-President of the Benapole Import-Export Association Aminul Islam, stated that rice imports will remain suspended for about a week due to the Puja holidays. He added that if imports continue, more consignments will arrive in the coming days.
To control the unstable rice market, the government has allowed rice imports through all ports in the country.
Following this decision, rice imports through Benapole Land Port resumed on August 21.
Deputy Director of Benapole Land Port, Faisal Ahsan Sajib confirmed that several rice-laden trucks are still waiting at India’s Petrapole port to enter Bangladesh.
According to him, rice imports through various ports across the country have kept the market stable.
This official believes that import of rice is projected to ease market prices, with a reduction of Tk. 5–7 per kilogram. Fine-quality slender rice is expected to stabilize at Tk. 67–70 per kg, while coarse Swarna varieties are likely to remain in the Tk. 50–52 range.
Aman/