Govt will stockpile 900,000 tons of rice by November 12 to stem the rising price of the staple food in local markets. According to the sources in the Ministry of Food, the per kg rice price has risen by 39% over the last nine months in Bangladesh’s markets, but by only 6% on the international market. Coarse rice is now selling at Tk64 in local markets– a record high for the country. This same rice was sold at Tk38 at the beginning of the year. Country have already taken steps to import 900,000 tons of rice to ease the upward price pressure. A total of 200,000 tons of rice is now in government storage while 150,000 tons is at the Chittagong port now. The remaining 550,000 tons will arrive at Chittagong by November 12. Finance Minister’s cabinet committee meeting, which also approved the Food Ministry’s proposal to import 50,000 tons of non-bashmoti and parboiled rice from Thailand through an international tender.