RANGPUR, Oct 21: The potato growers of Taraganj Upazila in Rangpur district are sowing early variety potato seeds with new zeal and optimism during the current season after harvesting short duration varieties of paddy.
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) sources said some 3,350 hectares of land have been brought under early variety potato cultivation in the upazila during the current Robi season and the farmers are quite optimistic of achieving the target if the weather remains congenial.
The farmers are being provided with fertilisers, pesticides and other inputs by the authorities concerned to ensure smooth cultivation.
Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) and some NGOs are providing quality potato seeds among the farmers in order to enhance its production.
Besides, a number of commercial banks and NGOs provided easy term agriculture loans to make the efforts a success.
Ahidul Islam (40), a potato grower of Baniapara village under the upazila told The Financial Express that he has a target to cultivate potato on 5 bighas of land this season and is hopeful of attaining expected output of the produce. Last season he also got a good yield of potato which encouraged him to cultivate it on a large scale during this season, he added.
Sirajul Mia (50), another potato farmer of Dangapara village under the upazila told FE he cultivated potato on one acre of land this season with the hope to achieve expected output. He also urged the government to take necessary steps so that they can get fair price of their produce.
Talking to The Financial Express some growers said they have been cultivating the crop for the last few years though they failed to get fair prices of their produce. If they get expected price of their produce the cultivation of potato will increase significantly, they added.
According to Upazila DAE office sources, farmers are showing more interest in cultivating early variety of potato just after the harvesting of short duration paddy. The cultivation will get further momentum after completing harvest of short duration paddy, sources added.
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