5 lakh tonnes of wheat to be imported from Russia by Jan

The government will purchase around 5 lakh tonnes of wheat from Russia to meet the local demand for food grain, said an official of the food ministry on Monday.

The first consignment of a wheat-laden ship is expected to reach Bangladesh from Russia any day from September, said the official.

The wheat will be purchased in exchange of dollars instead of Russian currency, the official said, wishing not to be named.

“A deal between the two countries is at final stage as both the sides have reached a consent in this regard and if everything remains okay the first consignment of wheat will reach Bangladesh any day from September,” the official said.

Per tonne of wheat will be imported at $430, he said.

Like the other countries in the world, Bangladesh is facing a crisis of food grain due to the disruption in the food supply chain following the Russia-Ukraine war that began on February 24 this year.

As Bangladesh is an import-dependent country for some essential food items, it is feeling the pinch of the shortage of the commodities.

The depreciation of the local currency has pushed the import costs further higher by at least 10 percent in the last four months.