The government has decided to start selling of potatoes, eggs, onions and different vegetables under open market sale in the capital from today.
鈥楩or the first time we are going to start selling of perishable items such as potatoes, eggs, onions and different vegetables at different points in the city to give relief to the fixed income group people,鈥� secretary of the agriculture ministry Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian told the BSS on Monday.
He said that the government would also sell some vegetables at subsidised prices to the low-income groups as part of a pilot project in the capital.
Adviser for the agriculture ministry Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, adviser for the commerce ministry Salehuddin Ahmed, commerce secretary Md Selim Uddin and agriculture secretary Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian are expected to attend the opening programme to be held in front of the Directorate General of Food Office today.
鈥榃e will inaugurate selling of potatoes, eggs, onions and different vegetables in front of the Directorate General of Food Office on Abdul Ghani Road at 11:00am tomorrow,鈥� the agriculture secretary said.
He said that a kilogram of potatoes would be sold at Tk聽30, a dozen of eggs at Tk聽130, a kilogram of onions at Tk聽70 and green vegetables will sold at least 20-30 per cent less than the existing market price.
The agriculture secretary said the ministry would directly collect the perishable items such as potatoes, eggs, onions and different vegetables, directly from farmers and then sell those through the OMS at designated spots in the city.
At least 20 locations have been set for selling the items for the next two weeks and if the pilot project is successful, the number of selling points and days would be increased, he added.
The decision was made at a special meeting between chief adviser of the interim government Muhammad Yunus and several other advisers at the chief adviser鈥檚 official residence on Sunday, according to the agriculture ministry.
It said the Department of Agricultural Marketing, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation would provide the necessary support to implement the decision.