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Potato growers in Naogaon formed a human chain on Wednesday and also dumped potatoes on the road, demanding fair prices for the crop, similar to paddy and wheat.

Under the banner of ‘Farmer and potato trader families of Naogaon, Bogura and Joypurhat districts’ they formed the human chain on the road in front of Naogaon Sadar Upazila Parishad at about 10:30am.

Farmers at the protest programme said that the prices of the crop slid down simply to half the production cost.

Abdul Jalil, a farmer from Chakbaria village in Naogaon Sadar upazila, complained that compared with the rising costs of fertilisers and pesticides, this year’s potato prices were extremely low.

‘Many of us have taken loans from banks and non-governmental organisations to cultivate potatoes and are now unable to repay the loans due to the sharp fall in market price. Those who stored potatoes in cold storages are counting a loss of at least Tk 17–18 per kilogram,’ he said.

Another farmer, Bulbul Islam of Baktarpur village, said that rice and paddy were selling at high prices in the market, but potatoes did not have any value.

‘Cold storages are also charging higher fees. It cost us Tk 1,200–1,300 to produce a maund of potatoes, but now we are forced to sell them at Tk 500–600 per maund. Without any government initiative to mend the situation, we will be ruined,’ he said.

Saiful Alam, a potato grower from the Baludanga Bus Stand area, said that he sold his cow and took loans from NGOs to grow potatoes, hoping for a profit.

‘But potatoes are not selling in the market. Cold storages are charging Tk 4 more per kilogram than before. It now costs Tk 25–26 to grow and store one kilogram of potatoes, while the wholesale market price is only Tk 11–12. Forget about repaying loans—I can’t even recover my production costs,’ he said.

Saiful also questioned the government’s inaction regarding setting a fixed price for potatoes.

Sohel Sarkar, marketing officer of Naogaon Agricultural Marketing Department, said that due to good yields, this year’s potato production had far exceeded demand.

‘At this time of the year, consumers tend to buy other vegetables more than potatoes. The government is considering selling potatoes through Open Market Sale and Trading Corporation of Bangladesh to support farmers,’ he added.