Dhaka, Feb 17 (UNB)-Food Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque Wednesday squarely blamed a section of traders for jacking up market prices of rice through machinations.

“The traders always increase the rice prices through machinations. They are still trying to do so,” he told reporters after inaugurating a regional conference on climate change and natural disaster at a city hotel.

Asked about identification of those traders who are involved in machinations and any action against them, he said: “I don’t want to raise any dispute commenting on this matter.”

About the government’s target of three-lakh-ton Aman procurement by February, the minister hinted that they could not achieve the procurement target due to high prices on the local market compared to the government-fixed rate.

“About 30,000 tonnes of Aman rice could be procured as the market price is higher than the price set by the government,” he said.

Razzaque said the government has more than enough stock of rice and wheat for the period till boro harvest. “So, people should not worry about the procurement.”

The government on December 7 last year initiated a move to procure up to three lakh tonnes of Aman rice at Tk 22 a kilogram within February 28.

The minister informed that about eight lakh tonnes of rice remained in government stock to meet any exigencies.

Meanwhile, coarse rice sells at Tk 26-28 per kg while medium and fine-quality rice sells between Tk 36 and Tk 45 on the retail market in the capital.