Import of Indian rice affects local production

Commercial husking in the famous rice producing district sees drastic fall for the last couple of months amid large-scale import of cheap Indian rice. 

"Over 700 of the 850 rice mills in the district have already suspended production due to poor sale of local rice. More than 10,000 workers have become jobless due to the situation," said Idris Ali Biswas, president of Pabna rice millers association. 

"During the first three months of this year, BNP-led 20 party's non-stop blockade hampered rice production. Now relief from the blockade fails to make us happy as import of cheap Indian rice continues," he said.

Each 50-kg bag of imported Indian rice is selling for Tk 1500 to Tk 1700 while one has to pay Tk 1750 to 2000 for the same variety of local rice, stakeholders said, adding that at retail level, imported coarse rice and similar local variety are selling at Tk 28-29 and Tk 35-36 per kg respectively.

"I kept my two mills closed from last February due to the poor sale of local rice. Still I have to pay Tk 50 thousand per month as rent for two mills. Besides, I am spending Tk 40 to 50 thousand as labour payment and electric bills. To recover the loss, I am now using the rice mills for corn processing to sell it as poultry feed," said Anwar Hossain Nantu, a rice miller of Joynagar village in Ishwardi upazila. 

The upazila alone has 650 rice mills, over 500 of which are now out of production due to poor demand of local rice, said Fazlur Rahman Malitha, president of Ishwardi Rice Producers' Association.

Rice millers have appealed to the government to stop importing Indian rice to save commercial rice production industry in the district.