Potato seed producers demand cold storage facilities
Our Correspondent | Monday, 21 March 2011
Our Correspondent
RAJSHAHI, Mar 20: Potato seed producers held a press conference in Namobhdra recently demanding an exclusive cold storage for preserving potato seeds and sanction of loan on easy terms and low interest. Speakers said, potato seeds worth Tk 50 billion are sold every year all over Bangladesh. They informed, now more than 800 farmers of Rajshahi region are contributing to the national economy by producing potato seeds. They further mentioned, now a days potato seed producers in Rajshahi are suffering from various problems. Lack of cold storage is the main problem. They complained, owners of local cold storages store potato for consumption and the seed potato at the same cold storage. As a result, it is difficult to maintain standard temperature and humidity for the potato-seeds. They said, the government should regulate the market for selling the potato seeds and potato. They complained, potato farmers are not getting fair price of their product where the middlemen are storing potato by purchasing that at a low-price. They informed, the farmers are not being able to store potato at the cold storages directly rather they are being exploited by the middlemen and paying around Tk 400 for storing just one sackful of potato. Also they said, owners of cold storages do not pay compensation for the damaged potato. The speakers at the press conference demanded government initiatives for solving the problems of the potato farmers and also demanded of the Governor of Bangladesh Bank to disburse loan to the potato seed producers at a low interest rate and easy terms.
RAJSHAHI, Mar 20: Potato seed producers held a press conference in Namobhdra recently demanding an exclusive cold storage for preserving potato seeds and sanction of loan on easy terms and low interest. Speakers said, potato seeds worth Tk 50 billion are sold every year all over Bangladesh. They informed, now more than 800 farmers of Rajshahi region are contributing to the national economy by producing potato seeds. They further mentioned, now a days potato seed producers in Rajshahi are suffering from various problems. Lack of cold storage is the main problem. They complained, owners of local cold storages store potato for consumption and the seed potato at the same cold storage. As a result, it is difficult to maintain standard temperature and humidity for the potato-seeds. They said, the government should regulate the market for selling the potato seeds and potato. They complained, potato farmers are not getting fair price of their product where the middlemen are storing potato by purchasing that at a low-price. They informed, the farmers are not being able to store potato at the cold storages directly rather they are being exploited by the middlemen and paying around Tk 400 for storing just one sackful of potato. Also they said, owners of cold storages do not pay compensation for the damaged potato. The speakers at the press conference demanded government initiatives for solving the problems of the potato farmers and also demanded of the Governor of Bangladesh Bank to disburse loan to the potato seed producers at a low interest rate and easy terms.