Potato farmers suffer losses in Chandpur

OUR CORRESPONDENT

CHANDPUR, Dec 27: As potato planting began in Chandpur from November, some growers say they are discouraged to cultivate the staple, as a supply surplus last year prolonged the low price of the vegetable since May and eventually resulted in serious losses faced by the farmers.

In November last year, retail prices of the potato were at Tk 70-80 per kg-thanks to a syndicate which helped these prices to prevail in the market for some time. But, in May this year, the prices fell to Tk 22-25 per kg in Chandpur and has not risen ever since due to abundant supply.

Mobarak Hossain, sub assistant agricultural officer at the Department of Agricultural Extension in Chandpur, said that the price of potato is still low as the government has broken down a syndicate last year. "Otherwise, the price of potatoes would go up to Tk 70-80 per kg as we saw last year," he added.

The yield was so high across the country last year that there was not enough space at cold storages and a portion of that surplus was spoiled as a result, according to media reports. Potatoes at retail markets now cost about the same low range now as in different districts of the country, due to which growers have been facing losses.

Consumers in Chandpur are currently more interested to buy new potatoes, sold at Tk 30-33 per kg in the district's markets -- most of which came from the northern districts, where early winter paved the way for the vegetable to be harvested ahead of other districts.

Hanif Patwari, a farmer of Lodergaon village of Chandpur Sadar Upazila, said they are getting Tk 500 for every 40 to 50 kgs of potato in sacks. Another farmer, Billal Hossain, said they are getting Tk 100 for every ten kilograms of old potatoes, while five kgs of the newer ones have been selling at Tk 100-150.

In Chandpur, thousands of farmers have been affected due to the loss they have been sustaining from the potatoes cultivated last year, which had a production cost that the farmers say would not be less than Tk 20. This year they are disheartened and some of them are also less interested in growing potatoes again during this Rabi season to avoid further loss. Talking to the FE, farmers Ismail Hossain and Suruj Mia both of Bisnupur Dhonpordi village; and Shamsul Islam of Sobhanpur village - all of Chandpur Sadar Upazila - have lamented the poor price they have been getting for the potatoes they cultivated in Ghoserhat, Kumardughi, and Mandari areas of Sadar Upazila.

They further said that they could not pay back the loan they took for growing potatoes. Chandpur farmers who stored potatoes in 10 cold storages in Chandpur Sadar, Hajiganj, Matlab Dakshin and Kachua Upazilas-in the hopes of getting a better price this November and December-had their hopes shattered due to the low price.

They emphasised that they will not grow potatoes again this season as they suffered a huge loss from last year's cultivation. Veteran farmers Bachchu Miaji, Billal Hossain Bhuiyan, Masud Mia and a few others expressed a similar sentiment.

However, many other farmers hope that in the upcoming season, potato prices will be higher, so they are cultivating the vegetable on higher grounds this season looking forward to another bumper yield as it was in the last.

Farmers have been sowing potato seeds in different areas, including at Bagadi, Moishadi, Shah Mahmudpur, Ashikati, Rampur, Ghoserhat, Mohamaya, Kumardughi, and Char Krishnapur areas in Chandpur Sadar; Bakila in Hajiganj; Matlab Dakshin and Matlab Uttar Upazilas.

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According to DAE sources in Chandpur, 7,200 hectares of land have been targeted to be brought under potato cultivation this season and the target was 8,200 hectares last season. There are about 57,000 potato growers in Chandpur.