The government yesterday placed more orders to buy fertiliser in order to augment the stock for the vital agricultural input to ensure smooth cultivation of crops in the coming seasons, particularly the boro when Bangladesh's main rice crop is produced.
In a virtual meeting, chaired by Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, the cabinet committee on purchase approved a number of proposals to import 90,000 tonnes of fertiliser at Tk 597 crore.
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State-run Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will buy the fertiliser in three separate lots from three companies.
The fresh order came a week after the committee gave the nod to two public agencies -- the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation and the BCIC -- to buy a total of 90,000 tonnes of fertiliser from Qatar and Morocco under a state-to-state contract.
The government has kept strengthening the stock to supply the vital agricultural input to farmers at subsidised rates amid the ongoing economic uncertainty stemming from the Russia-Ukraine war, which has disrupted the global supply chain and sent the prices higher.
State-run Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation will buy the fertiliser in three separate lots from three companies
Supplying adequate fertiliser to farmers will be particularly crucial for Bangladesh in the coming seasons as the spectre of a food crisis is deepening globally amid the dragging war. Food prices have already soared to record highs this year internationally and to a significant extent locally.
The agriculture ministry projects a requirement for 55.5 lakh tonnes of chemical fertiliser for the current fiscal year of 2022-23 and most of it would be met through imports because of inadequate domestic production.
State-run factories produce 10 lakh tonnes of urea and insignificant quantities of triple super phosphate and diammonium phosphate. Farmers used more than 55 lakh tonnes of fertiliser in 2021-22 and most of the demand was met through imports.
As per yesterday's approved proposals, 30,000 tonnes of bagged granular urea fertiliser will be procured from Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company at a cost of Tk 197 crore while another 30,000 tonnes of bulk granular urea from Muntajat of Qatar at a cost of Tk 200 crore.
The remainder of 30,000 tonnes will be brought in from Sabic Agri-nutrients Company of Saudi Arabia at a cost of Tk 200 crore. The BCIC will import 30,000 tonnes of phosphoric acid at Tk 233 crore for its DAP Fertiliser Company Ltd.
The purchase committee also gave its nod to a proposal of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division to appoint a joint venture of Dohatec Media Bangladesh and GSS Infotech Ltd of India as a consultant for the Digitalising Implementation Monitoring and Public Procurement Project involving Tk 51.23 crore.
A proposal of the Public Works Department under the housing and public works ministry received consent to award a contract to Engineers & Architects Ltd to construct three 14-story residential buildings in the Mohammadpur Housing Estate in Dhaka. The ministry would have to spend Tk 144 crore for the structures.
The meeting approved a total of six purchase proposals to the tune of Tk 1,027 crore. Of the sum, Tk 378 crore would come from the government's coffer, while Tk 649 crore would be taken as loans from local banks and external sources.
