Adron Agro Biotech in Rangpur has started producing potato seeds through tissue culture to meet the increasing domestic demand.
The first ever agro-firm in the district cultivated potato this year for seeds on around 30 acres at Baharkatchna in Tapadhan union under Rangpur Sadar upazila with a plan to market the seeds next year.
Adron Agro has targeted three kinds of potato seeds -- nuclear, breeder and foundation -- for this year, said Aminul Islam, proprietor of the company.
"I have brought breeder and foundation seeds from Olympic Agro Biotech in Dhaka and potato plantlets to produce nuclear seeds."
“Now I need to set up a laboratory to produce plantlets of potato for which I have recently applied for bank loans," he added.
Farmers buy imported seeds for Tk 160-Tk 170 a kilogram, while local seeds cost Tk 50-Tk 60, Islam said, stressing the need for setting up a specialised cold storage for seeds in northern districts.
He said the farmers suffer a lot and incur a huge loss in absence of cold storage in Rangpur region.
Bangladesh imports potato seeds worth Tk 3,500 crore every year, according to Department of Agricultural Extension, Rangpur.
The country can downsize the import by producing more quality seeds locally, Islam said.