The country鈥檚 potato production in the financial year 2024-25 witnessed a record high of 1.15 crore tonnes, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics report.
The overall production of FY25 experienced about a 9 per cent increase from 1.06 crore tonnes of FY24, the data added.
In FY25, the farmers of the country cultivated potatoes on 4.92 lakh hectares of land, about 8 per cent higher than in FY24, following the increased retail prices throughout 2024.
Currently, the potato is sold at about Tk 20-25 per kilogram across the country, which was about Tk 45-50 per kilogram at the same time of the last year.
Meanwhile, despite the record production and lowest price, the stakeholders expressed concern that a considerable amount of the surplus potatoes might be left over at the beginning of the new harvesting season.
From September to November, farmers sow potato seeds, and from January to March, they harvest them.
According to the Tuber Crops Research Centre, the annual demand for potatoes in the country is approximately 90 lakh tonnes, with about 10 lakh tonnes used as seeds and 80 lakh tonnes for consumer demand, including the production of chips and processed foods.
According to estimates, approximately 25 lakh tonnes of potatoes may be surplus at the beginning of the next harvesting season.
Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, adviser on Agriculture and Home Affairs to the interim government, said that the government would purchase potatoes this season to offset farmers鈥� losses, as surplus production has driven prices down.
鈥楢lthough vegetable prices are rising, potato prices have dropped. Farmers are not getting fair price for potatoes this year and are incurring losses. That is why the government has planned to procure some potatoes,鈥� he said on Saturday.
To increase consumption, the Bangladesh Cold Storage Association frequently urged the government to purchase potatoes from the farmers to include them in various social safety net schemes and rations.聽
Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu, president of the BCSA, told The 抖阴精品 that approximately 29 lakh potatoes were stocked at more than 350 cold storages across the country.
鈥楢fter storing, farmers took only 4-5 lakhs tonnes of potatoes from the cold storage. We are concerned that the about 20 per cent-25 per cent of potatoes might be stuck at the cold storage,鈥� he added.
The primary production hubs of the country, such as Munshiganj, Rangpur, Bagura, Rajshahi, Naogaon, and Joypurhat districts, experienced a bumper potato harvest this year, with an average production cost of Tk 14-15 per kilogram.
Meanwhile, most farmers sold potatoes at low prices due to lower prices during the harvesting season and the inability to store them in cold storage.聽
Moreover, many potatoes stored on bamboo lofts were rotten, which accelerated the suffering of the farmers.
Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu stated that the selling prices of potatoes at cold storage gates were Tk 13-14, resulting in a substantial loss for the farmers.
鈥楾o increase production, we proposed the government some specific proposals, including fixed a minimum price of potatoes at cold storage gates,鈥� he added.
They also proposed that the government include potatoes in the social safety net scheme, truck sales under the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh, and the Directorate of Food, to buy potatoes from farmers for government accommodations, hospitals, jails, and other institutions.
鈥榃e also urged to include potatoes as rations for defense agencies and other ration holders. It might assist in selling of surplus potatoes,鈥� he added.
Regarding the agriculture adviser鈥檚 remarks on Saturday, he stated that the government had assured them to consider the matter and conduct an inter-ministerial meeting, which might lead to further development.
A deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Munshiganj stated that the farmers of Munshiganj produced potatoes at approximately 10,60,119 tonnes, which is 19,069 tonnes more than last year. Due to this, most farmers and traders in the area have suffered losses.聽
The export of potatoes from Bangladesh was also not in good shape.聽In FY25, Bangladesh exported potatoes and processed items worth $40 million, said the Export Promotion Bureau.
Moreover, the DAE stated that Bangladesh exported approximately 62,000 tonnes of potatoes in FY25.
Mostofa Azad said that primarily farmers store potatoes in the cold storage, and if the government takes the initiative to distribute potatoes under social safety net programmes, farmers will be saved from losses.