14,400 Farmers in Jashore to Receive Subsidies to Cultivate Ayush

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has directed the National Tea Company (NTC) to auction 22 lakh kilograms of tea to cover unpaid wages for its workers. The company has also been instructed to submit a proposal to increase its borrowing limit with Bangladesh Krishi Bank.

The Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) has recommended reducing import taxes on sunflower and canola oil to diversify cooking oil options in the market.

Tea prices in Bangladesh have risen at weekly auctions this year due to a minimum price threshold and reduced supply, with the average price per kilogram reaching around Tk 214 after 29 auctions, compared to Tk 197.46 during the same period last year. The Bangladesh Tea Board (BTB) introduced a floor price for the current season, which helped push prices up slightly, especially for high-quality early harvests.

Bangladesh Bank announced a 10% cash incentive for the export of agricultural and agro-processed products, specifically targeting juices and drinks made from locally sourced fruit pulp. The incentive, detailed in a notification from the Foreign Exchange and Policy Department, aims to boost the competitiveness of exporters in this sector and support the domestic agriculture industry.

The Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission will meet with agro-processors to discuss the government's indefinite ban on rice exports, including aromatic varieties. The Bangladesh Agro Processors Association (BAPA) has urged the government to lift the ban, citing a decline in demand for processed agricultural products.

India has lifted its ban on non-basmati white rice exports, allowing exports with a minimum price of $490 per metric ton, according to a government order. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) updated the policy from "prohibited" to "free," provided the new minimum export price (MEP) is met.