Govt to procure 1 lakh metric tonnes of fertilizer

The government has approved separate proposals to procure some 1 lakh metric tonnes of fertilizer including 60,000 metric tonnes of bulk granular urea fertilizer and 40,000 metric tonnes of DAP fertilizer.

The approvals came from the 30th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) this year held Wednesday virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting virtually, Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Syed Mahbub Khan said that the day's CCGP meeting approved a total of four proposals.

He informed that following two separate proposals from the Ministry of Industries, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) would procure some 30,000 metric tonnes of bulk granular urea fertilizer under the 1st lot from Fertiglobe Distribution Limited, UAE with around Taka 204.73 crore with per tonne fertilizer costing $632.

This time the government is purchasing per ton urea fertilizer at $46 less than its previous purchase.

Mahbub informed that the BCIC would procure another consignment of 30,000 metric tonnes of bulk granular urea fertilizer from Muntajat, Qatar under the 8th lot under state-level agreement with around Tk204.73 crore where per ton fertilizer would cost $632. In this lot, the BCIC would enjoy a less of $46 in purchase of per ton fertilizer compared to the previous procurement.

He informed that the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) under the Ministry of Agriculture would procure some 40,000 metric tons of DAP fertilizer under the 8th lot under state-level agreement from MA'ADEN, Saudi Arabia with around Tk309.78 crore with per ton fertilize costing $726.50. The BADC will purchase such consignment of DAP fertilizer at $140 less compared to its previous procurement.

The Cabinet Division additional secretary also said that the day's CCGP meeting approved another proposal from the Local Government Division under which the rest of the works for constructing 614-meter PSC Girder Bridge over River Kalinga under Nesarabad upazila in Pirojpur district has been awarded to Max Infrastructure Limited with around Tk105.26 crore.