Potato farmers in a quandary

BUMPER production of potato this season has not brought any good news for the potato growers of Rangpur Division which earned the distinction of being the largest potato producing region in the country. In fact, low price of potato brought financial disaster for the farmers. Many of them were compelled to sell their products at an abysmally low price that did not even cover the production cost. The production cost for each kg of potato was around Tk.6 during the last season and most of the farmers were selling them at cost price. It is painful for the growers as potato had been recording a steady yield over the last few decades and very few crops in the country can match similar growth. Potato farmers have been passing through a difficult time despite helping the country consistently through the years with increasing production of the crop. I hope the government will take effective steps to collect potato at a fair price to save the farmers from being discouraged and shifting to alternative crops. The potato farmers of our country have been doing a great job by supplying us potato at a price cheaper than all other vegetables.

Akmal Hossain

Narayanganj