Govt halts rice imports from India thru Benapole Port

The interim government has halted rice imports from India through the Benapole Land Port.

"Rice import through Benapole Port has been stopped since Tuesday [15 April] on the instructions of the food ministry. Rice import from India will remain closed until further instructions," Benapole Port Director (Traffic) Shamim Hossain told The Business Standard today (17 April).

The government, on 17 November 2024, allowed 92 importers to bring rice from the neighbouring country to keep the prices of the staple food in the country's market stable.

Benapole Customs Commissioner Md Kamruzzaman said the last period of the extended fourth phase of rice import was till 15 April. In the last five months, 21,360 tonnes of rice were imported through the Benapole port.

As per the order issued at the time, 92 importers were allowed to import 273,000 tonnes of parboiled rice and 119,000 tonnes of raw rice. The import period initially announced by the government ended on 22 December last year.

Of the imported rice, coarse rice is imported at a price of $390-400 per tonne, and fine rice at a price of $450-470 per tonne. The customs authorities released this rice duty-free.

As rice imports did not meet expectations, the period was extended four times.

Importers claimed they would face loss due to the import halt.

One rice importer, Alauddin said, "I still have 1,000 tonnes of rice waiting to enter the country on the other side."

Another rice importer, Md Mosharraf Hossain, said, "Coarse rice imported from Benapole port is being sold in the wholesale market at Tk53 per kg and fine rice at Tk65-72 per kg."