The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Rangpur

The growers are counting loss as the price of newly harvested potato in local hats and bazaars is falling sharply and now being sold at prices below the production cost.

The farmers of eight upazilas here are not getting fair price of their production for want of buyers.

The buyers from outside the district are not purchasing potato for fear of incurring losses this year as they apprehend that the Indian potato would capture the markets.

Farmers said they are not getting fair price as the potato markets are being controlled by a syndicate of local brokers who are offering prices below production cost depriving them of fair prices.

According to potato farmers, an 84kg sack of newly harvested potato is being sold between Tk 650 and Tk 700.

Aftab Hossain, a potato grower of Nabdiganj in Pirgachha upazila, said the production cost was higher this year due to increased price of inputs like fertilizer, insecticides and irrigation rate, adding that the farmers had to spend Tk 80,000 to Tk 85,000 for cultivating potato on an acre of land, which is almost double than the previous year.

He said the production cost of a sack of potato is between Tk 1000 and Tk 1100.

The growers are selling their products on the fields at low price and repaying loans, which they took from banks, NGOs and others for cultivation.

This year farmers cultivated potato on 54,000 hectares against the 50,000 hectares in the last year with a view to earn a windfall profit.

But the farmers expressed apprehension that the production may fall by 30 to 40 percent from the target of 11,34,000 metric tons due to the outbreak of the 'late blight' disease, that damaged potato plants in many fields.

Many educated unemployed youths engaged themselves in potato cultivation this year by borrowing money and taking land on lease to change their lot but their hopes have been shattered by the late blight disease and low price in the market.