Dhaka, April 23 -- Even after the start of a "promising" Boro harvest, the upsurge in rice prices continues in the market, raising concerns among consumers.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), about 10-12 per cent of the total 5.07 million hectares of cultivated land has been harvested, with the haor regions reporting around 50-per cent harvest rate.

The government has set the Boro output target at 22.4 million tonnes for the current season against the previous one's production of 21 million tonnes, according to official figures.

Among the cropping zones, the Rangpur division produced the highest 5.0 million tonnes of rice last season, followed by Mymensingh with 3.2 million tonnes.

Boro has been cultivated in...