The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed Wednesday kicked off a three-day national campaign for increased potato consumption with a fervent call for all to enhance the intake of this food item now available in abundance.

A raise in potato intake, he said, could yield a double benefit: it would help out the farmers who have reaped a bumper harvest and cut down the demand for high-priced rice.

"Stand beside the 2.50 crore farmers, who grow food for 15 crore people, to keep them alive by way of eating an extra amount of potato with daily food intake," the army chief said in his appeal at the inaugural function of the 3-day "Potato Campaign 2008" at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.

General Moeen pointed out that the country faces rice shortage in the month of March and April, when potato is harvested. "So, if we increase potato consumption at this time, it will reduce pressure on rice," he said.

Mentioning the hard fact that Bangladesh is a disaster-prone country, he said though every year it faces different natural catastrophes, but 2007 was a very unlucky year as it witnessed seven catastrophes in a row. These included two phases of flooding, attack by cyclone Sidr, price spiral of food items and petroleum on the international market and spread of bird flu.

However, 2008 is a good year for Bangladesh as the country garnered bumper production of most of the crops.

Moeen shared how he became eager to campaign for raising potato consumption. He said when he visited northern Rangpur and Lalmonirhat districts, he saw huge sacks of potatoes lying on roadsides. "Farmers told me no one is interested to buy potato, which inclined me to launch campaign for potato."

He told his audience that due to campaign for a rise in potato consumption by government, its consumption rose significantly. "And I think the government also was able to stand by the farmers through the campaign."

Mentioning that this year the county got 30-lakh-MT higher potato production than last year, he said if the countrymen increase potato consumption, the surplus potato would be finished within two or three months.

To underpin the significance of the national campaign, he said the United Nations urged world population to increase potato consumption, declaring 2008 as World Potato Year, as potato production is higher all over the world this year.

And Bangladesh responded to the call of the UN and launched its campaign.

General Moeen, whose force is backing up the present caretaker government, had a word for critics of this campaign for potato. "I'll request those who oppose potato campaign for raising consumption to give suggestions how farmers would preserve or store the extra potatoes."

Reminding that cold storages have the capacity to preserve only 20 lakh mts of potatoes, he posed a question how the extra potatoes could be preserved if potato consumption is not increased.