Ministry doubts quality of potato that awaits import

---

Sheikh Shahariar Zaman
The commerce ministry's move to allow private sector import of potato has stumbled as the agriculture ministry doubts that the standard of imported item may not be at par with the homegrown potato.
The essential was selling between Tk 26 and Tk 28 per kg in the market Monday, according to government data.
An agriculture ministry official said they have sent the 'no objection certificate' the commerce ministry requested for but have attached the conditions of phytosanitary standard and food value while importing potatoes.
"We are accustomed to potatoes grown in our country but there is phytosanitary issue to ensure food safety," he said.
No harmful element is found in the locally grown potatoes and it must be ensured that the food standard of imported potatoes should be at least at par with the local one, he added.
"There is a possibility that some imported potatoes can be used as seed and if any harmful element is available in the seed, it will damage the future crop production,' he explained.
The agriculture ministry also expressed concern that if import was allowed it might have negative impact on local production, he added.
"If we allow the import and price level falls below a certain level, it may discourage our farmers from growing potato," he said.
The government should attach more importance to long-term benefit over the short-term gains, he added.
"The impact will be disastrous if the price level falls very low after the import and nobody buys the local potato," the official said.
A commerce ministry official said it wants to allow the import of the essential as the price is as high as Tk 28 per kg and it should be brought down to a tolerable level.