Although the harvest of early-winter potato varieties has begun in Bangladesh, the arrival of new potatoes is yet to provide any price relief to the local market. Stored potatoes continue to sell at Tk 45-55 per kilogram across the country.
Newly harvested potatoes are retailing at Tk 120-160 per kilogram in Dhaka and Tk 70-80 per kilogram in the Rangpur region, according to the Department of Agriculture Marketing (DAM) and the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.
Nilphamari farmers have cultivated early potatoes on 6,000 hectares this year, down from 8,500 hectares last year, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Nilphamari.
DAM Rangpur Division Deputy Director Md Shamsur Rahman told the FE that the retail price of new potatoes in Rangpur and other major northern cities was Tk 70-80 per kilogram. In Rangpur city, stored potatoes are still fetching Tk 45 per kilogram, an 85 per cent increase from a year ago, he said.
The agri official anticipated a price drop from mid-December as the harvest season peaks across all northern districts.
[ Tk100 = €0.83 ]
Source: today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd