Potato farming: a bright spot in the north

Women sort out the best potatoes for export at Mahiganj in Rangpur. Traders in the region have set a target to export about 2 lakh tonnes of potato from the northern districts. About 50,000 tonnes have been exported in the last two months, while the rest will be shipped in phases. Photo: Rafique Sarker

Export of potato from the northern districts has generated a ray of hope for the farmers and traders which, if continues till June, may help them break even.
Traders have set a target to export about 2 lakh tonnes of potato from the northern districts. About 50,000 tonnes have been exported in the last two months, while the rest will be shipped in phases.
Meanwhile, the export has raised the prices of potato in the northern markets.
About 30 agro companies, including Agri Concern, BD Food Ltd and Sinha Agro Ltd, are exporting potato from the northern districts to Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Russia at rates from Tk 13,000 to Tk 27,500 per tonne, said exporters.
The exporters are buying potato at Tk 7-Tk 10 per kg directly from the farmers in the fields to avoid middlemen, said Sahanuzzaman Sanu, a field officer of Agri Concern.
A big potato farmer, Mostafizar Rahman of Mahiganj in Rangpur, said exports of potato have influenced the market positively to a limited extent; but the farmers have been waiting for months to be able to cover up their losses.
"If the export continues round the year, the farmers may reach the break-even point by June-July when the crop stacked outside the cold storages is expected to be used up," he said.
The exporters are buying 'granola' and 'diamond' varieties of potatoes that were produced in abundance in greater Rangpur and Dinapur districts. Almost all exporters and buyers are now in the field to procure such potatoes.
Abul Kashem, senior vice president of Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the volume of potato export goes up this year because of the government's incentives.
"The government declared 20 percent incentive on potato export which encouraged the exporters to go for larger volumes of export. The yield of potato has also been greater compared to that of last year.”
“The exporters are buying potato at a cheaper rate as they procure it directly from the farmers," said Kashem who is a co-owner of Homeland Cold Store of Pirgachha in Rangpur.
A number of potato exporters asking not to be named told The Daily Star that the last government committed to provide such incentive but they failed to fulfil the commitment.
The incumbent government gave the 20 percent incentive on potato export in April, May and June last year whereas the exporters needed that in February and March when exports had to be carried out in full swing, said Abdus Salam, manager of Agri Concern.
“This year the government also announced to provide the incentive but we are yet to see any circular on the matter although two months have been elapsed since we began exporting potato,” said an exporter requesting anonymity.