Quality potato seed crisis in Rangpur region
With the onset of potato cultivation season, farmers in five northern districts under Rangpur agriculture region are worried due to shortage of quality seeds as supply by Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) is too meagre to meet the demand.
Regional Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer Rafiqul Islam said they have set a target this year to cultivate potato on 92,000 hectares of land in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts.
The demand is 1.38 lakh tonnes of seeds in total (1.5 tonnes per hectare), he added.
Farmers prefer BADC produced seeds as they are cultivated and preserved in a scientific way, free from virus and fungus, and high yielding, said Yahia Abid, secretary of Nilphamari unit Krishak League.
“We have supplied 4,673 tonnes of potato seeds to the five northern districts against total demand of 1.38 lakh tonnes,” said Dr Md Sultanul Alam, deputy director (DD) of BADC seed marketing department in Rangpur.
When this correspondent asked the DD how farmers will get the rest of the quality seeds needed, he said most farmers preserve seed in cold storages or in their houses, and others can buy seeds from NGOs or companies like Brac, Cinjenta, ACI, Square, Ispahani, etc, as they stock quality seeds.
“We sell 25% of the seeds from our office directly to farmers and the rest through the region's 751 recommended dealers. The price of 'A' grade seed is Tk 30 per kg and that of 'B' grade is Tk 28,” the DD said.
Many farmers, like Fazal Kadir of Kesba village in Nilphamari, alleged that dealers created an artificial crisis of BADC seeds by forming syndicates and realised higher prices.
“Most potato seeds, except BADC's, are below standard, and only 2.5 thousand tonnes of seeds belonging to individuals or farms got seed certification tag from our office, and no NGO or company has come to us to get official tag,” said Nilphamari Seed Certification Officer Abul Ala Moududi.
On a visit to seed markets Tengonmari Haat in Nilphamari and Sonahar Haat in Panchagarh, this correspondent found that an 80 kg bag of low quality, virus and fungus-affected potato seeds was being sold at Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,400, depending on size, variety and demand.
Farmer Mostafizur of Panchpeer village in Panchagarh said they have no alternative but to buy low quality seeds as good quality BADC seeds are scarce.
“Despite the potato seed crisis, farmers get maximum yield through sincere effort as our field officers provide suggestions,” said regional DAE Additional Director Md Shah Alam.
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