The Government of Bangladesh plans to procure about 1.15 million tonnes of rice (1 000 000 tonnes of parboiled rice and 150 000 tonnes of non-parboiled rice) and 600 000 tonnes of paddy rice (396 000 tonnes in milled terms) from the ongoing “Boro” season, which accounts for more than half of the annual output. In 2019, the volume procured during the same season was about 1.15 million tonnes of rice and nearly 400 000 tonnes of paddy rice (264 000 tonnes in milled terms). Procurement prices are the same as in 2019. The price of paddy rice was fixed at BDT 26 per kg, that of parboiled at BDT 36 per kg and that of non-parboiled at BDT 35 per kg. The procurement is set to last until 31 August 2020, while purchases of paddy rice will start on 26 April 2020, those of parboiled and non-parboiled rice will begin on 7 May 2020. Similarly, the Government is set to procure 75 000 tonnes of wheat, 50 percent above the 2019 target, at BDT 28 per kg from 15 April to 30 June 2020. The overall increase in the 2020 procurement target reflects the Government’s efforts to ensure domestic availabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking into consideration an expansion in the social safety programmes, including larger sales at subsidized prices through the Open Market Sales (OMS) and relief programmes for the poor.