Thousands of potato farmers and traders in Joypurhat district, Bangladesh, are facing heavy financial losses this season as market prices have dropped sharply, production costs have increased, and cold storage rental fees have risen.
Farmers who stored potatoes in anticipation of higher prices are now struggling to sell. Last year, a sack of potatoes in cold storage sold for 3,000–3,200 taka (US$25.50–27.25), but this season the price has fallen to 550–600 taka (US$4.70–5.10) per sack. Many producers are now considering reducing their cultivation area for the upcoming season.
Azizul Haque, a farmer from Aora village in Kalai upazila, said, "Last year, I cultivated potatoes on about 8 bighas (1.07 hectares) of land, from which I kept 300 sacks of potatoes in the cold storage. I came to sell those potatoes, but there are no buyers; no one is buying. After a lot of difficulty, I sold 20 sacks and got only Tk. 1,500, excluding the cold storage rent."
Farmer Noor Islam of Battali village in Khetlal upazila added, "I have kept 50 bags of potatoes in the cold storage. I thought I would sell some potatoes and buy fertilizer and seeds to cultivate new potatoes this season. But I see there is no price; selling a sack of potatoes is getting Tk. 90-100 taka (US$0.77–0.85)."
Traders are also reporting severe losses. Some borrowed from banks or NGOs to finance storage costs, while others sold livestock to invest in potato trading. Seasonal trader Atwar Rahman from M Israt Cold Storage said, "I had kept 800 bags of potatoes, and the total cost per sack was 1,450–1,500 taka (US$12.30–12.70). Now, per sack potatoes are selling at Tk. 550–600."
Officials attribute the price collapse to higher yields and increased cultivation last season. Sadiqul Islam, Deputy Director of the Joypurhat District Agricultural Extension Department, said, "The price of potatoes is lower this year as potato cultivation and yield were higher last year compared to previous years. The target price of potatoes has been reduced this time."
However, confusion remains regarding the government's fixed purchase price of 22 taka (US$0.19) per kilogram. District Agricultural Marketing Officer Mehedi Hasan said, "I didn't know anything about the government's purchase of potatoes at the price of Tk 22 per kg fixed by the Ministry of Commerce. We have not received any notice from the higher authorities in this regard so far."
With planting for the next crop expected to begin within a week and over 100,000 metric tons of potatoes still stored, farmers and traders are urging the government to intervene to stabilize the market and support the upcoming season.
Source: Daily Asian Age
