Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) has directed the farmers to store their harvested potatoes at their own homes for several weeks to avert the current price fall.
As per estimate of the BADC, production cost of per kilogramme (kg) potato ranges from Tk 6 to Tk 8, whereas farmers are selling potatoes at Tk 2.0 to Tk 3.0 per kg across the country.
The BADC thinks after a few weeks the cold storages would start receiving potatoes from the farmers, and the store owners would also buy potatoes from the market as they will get loans from the government.
They observe, as the temperature remains lower until March, the farmers can store potatoes at their homes for some days and once the cold storages open, the prices would increase gradually.
Currently prices of potatoes across the country have fallen sharply causing trouble to the farmers, as they are making heavy losses.
Agriculture scientists at the BADC said three causes are behind the potato price fall.
They said early harvest, delayed opening of the cold storages and Late Blight, a diseases caused by fogs in several parts of the country, are reducing potato prices in the country.
Usually, the farmers harvest their potatoes in January, but due to the countrywide political agitation and strikes many farmers have harvested the vegetable in December.
Some farmers have also harvested earlier, as they were scared of the Late Blight diseases attack as it had broken out in some parts of the country.
As there were early harvests and cold storages are still not receiving the potatoes, there is a selling rush that is lowering the prices.
An official at the agriculture office said primarily suggestions and directives have already been made to the government-listed farmers and it is also becoming available to all the farmers.
He said in the directive, there is an advice to the farmers that they must store the potatoes at their homes for several weeks.
He said due to low temperature during this time, potatoes would not rot and cold storages would open in March.
A cold storage owner said, "Usually we receive potatoes in February and get the government loan within this time."
He said, "I have already started buying potatoes on my own cost and I will adjust it when I will get the government loan."
An agriculture official said, "We are not telling the farmers to stop harvest because it would lead to more problems as potatoes cannot remain under earth for more than a certain period of time."
He said farmers had been suggested to harvest soon, and store potatoes at their homes.
BADC asks farmers to store potatoes at their homes
Shamsul Huda | Published: February 11, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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