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Ramadan Market

Soybean oil, lentils to be procured for TCB

  • Staff Correspondent
  • 9 February, 2023 12:00 AM
  • Print news

Some 11 million litres of soybean oil and 8,000 tonnes of lentils will be procured for the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) in a bid to stabilise the commodity market ahead of Ramadan and put a cushion for low-income people.

In this regard, two separate procurement proposals were approved by the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) at a meeting held with Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque in the chair on Wednesday.

The government has to spend Tk 2.68 billion for the soybean oil and lentils, including Tk 1.95 billion for edible oil purchase and Tk 732.8 million for buying pulse, informed Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Sayeed Mahbub Khan at a post-meeting press conference.

The price of soybean oil, to be procured from Meghna Edible Oil Refinery, will be Tk 176.88 a kilogram and that of pulse will be Tk 91.60, while the lentil will be imported from Turkey through a local agent. In the purchase, the direct procurement method will be followed, the official added.

The meeting approved a total of 15 procurement proposals, including eight from the Ministry of Shipping, two from the Power Division, two from the Ministry of Commerce and one each from the Local     Government Division, the Road Transport Division and the Ministry of Home.

Earlier on December 29 last year, the government okayed proposals for buying 209 lakh litres of soybean oil at a cost of Tk 3.34 billion and 8,000  tonnes lentil at a cost of Tk 815.8 million.

TCB’s family card holders can buy a maximum of two litres of soybean oil, two kilograms of lentils, one kilogram of sugar and two kilograms of onion. The price of soybean oil Tk 110 per kg, sugar Tk 55, lentil Tk 65, and onion Tk 20.