Bangladesh signed a pact on Thursday to import one million tonnes of rice from Thailand under a government-to-government (G to G) deal.
Food Minister Kamrul Islam and Thailand Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraparn inked the deal on their respective countries at a programme in Dhaka while Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tofael Ahmed was present there.
Food minister Kamrul Islam said, “Our demand is around 27 million tonnes of rice every year while our production capacity is 35 million tonnes. However, we have to import rice due to flood this year.”
Under the deal, maximum one million tonnes of rice will be imported from Thailand every year till 2021. However, Bangladesh will import rice as per its demand. The price will be set in a discussion between the both parties.
Bangladesh, the world’s fourth-biggest rice producer, will import rice from five countries and deal with three countries has already been finalized, said a Food Ministry source.
Source: UNB