Bangladesh: Early potato growers benefit
Traders from different districts including Dhaka, Chittagong of the country are coming to the district to contact farmers to make some fast bucks.
The newly harvested varieties are now selling at prices between Tk.30 and Tk.35 per kilogram in local markets although sowing of potato seeds will continue till first week of February next year, said growers and traders. Just a week ago, the item was being sold at Tk 40-45 when it appeared in the markets first, they said.
Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Bhupesh Kumar Pal told this correspondent that his office set a target to cultivate potato on 21,200 hectares of land in the district in the current season.
Of the target, farmers cultivated early variety of potato on about 8,480 hectares of land in five upazilas following harvest of short duration aman paddy or other short-term vegetables.
Agriculture officials said, a good number of farmers are reaping benefit from early variety potatoes as they had cultivated those after harvesting the short duration variety aman paddy like Bina-7 at different villages of the upazilas.
Traders coming from different districts were buying potatoes from the field at a price in between Tk.30 and Tk.35, depending on their sizes and quality.
Source: thedailystar.net