Potato Farmers in Rangpur, Bangladesh enjoy a record amount of potatoes AND good prices

Potato Farmers in Rangpur, Bangladesh are happy after harvesting an all-time record 18.16 lakh tons of potato along with getting lucrative market price this time in Rangpur agriculture zone.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources, a target of producing 18.06 lakh tons of potato was fixed from 91,921 hectares of land in all five districts in the region during the just ended Rabi season.

The enthusiastic farmers, however, cultivated potato in 94,160 hectares of land, which is 2,239 hectares or 2.43 percent more than the fixed target of bringing 91,921 hectares of land under potato cultivation this season.

Horticulture specialist of the DAE Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam today told BSS that the farmers have already completed harvest and produced over 18.16 lakh tons of potato exceeding its fixed production target by over 10,000 tons in the region this season.

The DAE, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) and other organisations and departments provided adequate quality potato seeds and inputs to the farmers.

Meanwhile, the farmers expressed happiness over bumper potato production and excellent market price following huge export with increasing demand in the international market of potato produced abundantly in the region.

Farmers Solaiman Ali, Kashem Mahmud and Yunus Ali of different villages said they have already completed potato harvest and got bumper production and are selling those at excellent price to earn huge profits this time.

Expressing happiness over bumper potato production, Adviser- Agriculture of BRAC International (South Asia & Africa) Dr MA Mazid stressed on establishing preservation facilities and agri-industries to make potato farming more profitable and enhance export.

Rangpur Regional Acting Additional Director of DAE SM Ashraf Ali also expressed satisfaction over bumper potato production and its excellent market prices since beginning of its harvest this season.

Noted potato exporter and President of Rangpur District Potato Growers' Association Alhaj Mohammad Khwaja Ahmed said the framers are happier getting better potato price and export of granular potato has been increased this season.

Khwaja Ahmed:

"We have already exported 10,000 tons of potato to Malaysia and some other countries at the exporting price rate of 250 US $ per ton so far and the export would be higher this time from the Rangpur region alone."

Khwaja expressed his confidence that the nation might earn millions of US dollars by exporting potato to Malaysia, Singapore, Russia and many other countries in future if the current export-friendly situation prevails constantly.

Meanwhile, increased production along with export of huge potato abroad from Rangpur region has ushered in a new hope for the farmers and prospective horizon to overall agro-economy in the zone from this season, he said.

President of Rangpur Chamber Abul Kashem said export of potato as well as potato products might be increased by and large, if adequate potato-based agro-industries and preservation facilities were set up in Rangpur region.

Abul Kashem:

"There are tremendous prospects for exporting huge quantity of granular variety quality potato to Singapore, Malaysian, Saudi Arabia, other Middle Eastern, African, European and far eastern countries in future."