Potato cultivation hampered due to shortage of seeds

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Our Correspondent
SIRAJGANJ, Sep 5: The production of potato cultivation is being severely hampered due to shortage of seed potatos in Sirajganj, Pabna and Natore districts in the coming season.
Abdul Ali (35), a local farmer said they incurred a huge loss due to low price of potato in the three district year before last.
As a result they cultivated potato in a small scale last season. The price went up abnormally this year. Farmers of these districts are now willing to cultivate potato on a large scale. But they expressed their concern over the prevailing seed crisis, sources said.
The cold storages would be able to supply only one seventh of the required quantity of seeds. "If the government does not supply seeds as per demand on an emergency basis, potato cultivation will be hampered seriously:" storage owners and potato traders said.
Sources said, a sack of 100 kilograms of potato is being sold in the cold storage between Tk 2,000 and Tk 2,020. Potato is being sold at Tk 20 to Tk 21 per kilogram in local markets.