Farmers busy tending potato plants in a field at Borobari in Lalmonirhat sadar upazila- FE Photo Much to their utter frustration, potato farmers in Lalmonirhat and Gopalganj districts are incurring heavy losses as the prices of the crop they are getting in the current season are far less than their production cost.
Last year, the prices of potato seeds and other inputs including pesticides and fertilisers were very high which added to cost of potato production.
Our correspondent from Lalmonirhat reports: Several thousand potato farmers in Lalmonirhat district and its adjoining areas are set to suffer massive losses due to extremely low prices of their produce in the local markets this season.
With the current prices of their newly harvested potato, they even could not recover their production cost, let along making profit.
Source said farmers in their thousands have been engaged in potato farming in the region for the last several decades as it has become popular for its highly lucrative return.
In the last two years, farmers and traders across the country earned handsome profits from potato production and sale.
This season, farmers cultivated potato on a vast tract of land in sadar upazila, inspired by the high profit they got from their produce last year.
Though the prices of seed and other inputs were very high last season, the growers could make a good income much to their satisfaction for a fairly high price of their crop.
Following the trend of last season, prices of inputs went up this season too, but the farmers did not get the fair price of potato, which has made them apprehensive of sustaining heavy losses. Some farmers alleged that taking the advantage of high demand of seeds, some dishonest traders sold their potatoes as seeds, which had been kept in cold storages for consumption.
While visiting some local markets recently, it was seen that different varieties of potato like Holand, Stick, White and JatBilati (local name) were being sold at Tk12-25 per kg; while last year during the pick season these varieties of potato were sold at Tk35-50 per kg. Visiting some areas of sadar upazila, it was seen that farmers were harvesting their potato from fields but they were very much frustrated about the present low price of their produce.
They said that if the price remains unchanged they would incur heavy losses as they even could not recover their investment.
Abu Asad, a farmer of Borobari area of sadar upazila, said that the cost of producing potato on one bigha of land was nearly Tk60,000 as price of everything was high this time.
Especially, prices of TSP and MOP fertilisers which are very essential for potato production went up.
The farmers purchased these at higher prices than the government-fixed rates. Asad cultivated potato on 40 bighas of land this season spending Tk2.4 million but the price of the crop is lower than his production cost. If this trend continues, he would incur a heavy loss, he expressed a deep concern.
Aktaruzzaman Badsha, a farmer of Ambari village, said that he cultivated potato on 14 bighas of land in the Airport area but he is concerned about his investment as the price is very low.
Like him, many other farmers of the district also expressed grave worry for the same reason.
They demanded that the authorities ensure a fair price of their produce. They urged the department concerned to look into the matter very sincerely.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Extension (DAE), Lalmonirhat, farmers cultivated potato on 7,806 hectares of land in the current season in the district, which is higher than last year.
High price last year inspired farmers to cultivate potato on more land this year, the DAE sources said.
Dr Shaikhu Arefin, deputy director (DD) of the DAE, Lalmonirhat, said actually the price depends on production and supply.
In the last two years, farmers earned a good profit from potato.
Our correspondent from Gopalganj writes: Farmers in the district are in apprehension of suffering big losses for the low prices of their potato, which are bellow their production cost. According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Gopalganj, a total of 209 hectares of land were brought under potato cultivation in the district this season.
Of the total, potato was cultivated on 95 hectares of land in Gopalganj Sadar and 73 hectares in Kotalipara upazila.
Robayet Ukil (45), a potato farmer of Char Kalpur village under Boulatali union of Sadar upazila, said he cultivated potato of 'Diamond' origin on three bighas (165 decimal) of land in the current season. The growth condition of his field is excellent. There would be a big loss from the cultivation as the price is very low.
Robayet added production of per kg potato cost Tk 25.75 but current market price of the crop is Tk8.0 to 9.0 (field rate).
"It costs Tk 1,00,000 to 1,10,000 to produce potato on one bigha (55 decimal) of land whereas farmers get 170 to 180 maunds of potato from the same quantity of land, whose wholesale market price is Tk 61,000 to 62,000. So we are going to face major losses from potato cultivation this year," said Robayet.
Dolon Roy, upazila agriculture officer (UAO), Kotalipara in Gopalganj told the FE about 73 hectares of land were brought under potato cultivation in the upazila this year and mostly 'Diamond' origin potato was cultivated.
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